Dark Passions
by Yami Y666
Summary: The clash between Da'kana and Da'sara, vampire and human, pride and love. Nothing could have been more inevitable, but the future has yet to be determined. Where is love hiding this time? Rated for a dark underworld and sensual situations! [YYY, YBB, SJ]
1. Moonlight Hunt

**CH 1 Moonlight Hunt**

Not many know the dark origins of the vampires. They had been around as long as anyone can remember, as notorious as they were beautiful. As deadly as they were seductive. Blessed with graceful power and majesty yet tainted by their hungers and lusts. Marked with flawless features that were breathtakingly perfect, the vampires had countless admirers...and lovers, for they were accomplished seductors as well.

Their lives stretching across the centuries, they turned history in their own directions; The vampires held time in ivory hands.

The vampires hid themselves from the people of the sun, the Da'sara, and were content to rule carefully from the shadows. But what had started out as a mutual agreement among their kind to keep away from human matters had become a restraint over the centuries.

Among those in favor of renewing connections with humans were the nobility, the smaller half of the whole. They were not wholy convinced that all ties should be severed with the Da'sara. The vampires, or the Da'kana, the people of the night, believed that both were meant to be intertwined and so the vampires should stop hiding in the shadows. Their beliefs were met with much resentment and controversy.

Those that wanted to bury themselves under myth and legend and form a totally separate and independant world from the Da'sara made up the majority of the vampiric society. They believed that the vampires were superior in every way and so should create a superior place to inhabit. Fewer and fewer of these followers went out into the human world and hunted to fill their blood lust; They sated their hunger through the human slaves and bonded that inhabited the vampiric world.

One of the last remaining princes of the Da'kana, a believer of living with the humans, was out on a hunt to satisfy his bloodlust on this night. Overhead, the moon shown down and illuminated his path, although he didn't need the light. A vampire's eyesight is thirty times as good as a human's yet this one enjoyed the moonlight, basking in its glow.

Prowling silently and gracefully through the forest, Yami was searching for his prey, someone to satisfy his hunger. Every sense was tingling and sharp, he was ready for anything.

_Those fools don't know what they're missing_, Yami scoffed at the opposing half of the Da'kana. _The hunt is what every vampire should live for. It is a ritual to keep our instincts sharp and our senses alert. _

_When the rest of them before it out, it will be too late. _Those_ vampires will be easy prey for those hunters. _Yami concluded, referring to the vampire hunters that plagued the Da'kana.

Suddenly, a rustling echoed throughout the forest, as if the whisper was carried by the wind. Yami froze and tuned his ears; He was no stranger to the language of the forest, to understand it only took belief.

Through the thick tree branches to his left, Yami could make out a moving figure. He smiled in the darkness.

_Dinner is served._

"_Ow!"_ Yuugi let out in a annoyed groan as he tripped over yet another root. It seemed that the entire forest was against him; this was the fifth root he had tripped over in the last ten minutes.

Maybe cutting through the forest hadn't been such a smart idea, he thought. But Yuugi had, had no choice if he was to get home by dawn. Not for the first time, he regretted passing up the ride Ryou had offered.

But then again, I don't want to die tonight either, Yuugi thought sarcastically. Ryou and his boyfriend had been happily drunk staggering their way over to the car when last he had seen them, loaded up on the free alcohol. Yuugi, being the level-headed person he was, had stayed away from the drinks and just enjoyed the party.

The party..., he thought again with a smile. Ryou had mentioned it the other day, and convinced Yuugi to come along. Eventually, Ryou had worn down Yuugi's refusal with his pleas and so tonight they had come, in costume, to this party along with Bakura.

Strangely, the costume requirement had been very strict, and when the three had arrived at the location, Yuugi had been surprised to find that all attending were dressed up. The costumes themselves were out of the ordinary in that they had called for an outfit of all leather. While Yuugi did own such an outfit, it had taken all of Ryou's encouragement for him to wear it tonight. Simply put, Yuugi was just not used to such revealing and sexy clothing.

_Thump_

With a frustrated grunt, Yuugi picked himself up from yet _another_ fall and realized that there was yet _another_ tear in his get-up; this one was a straight line cut across his chest, cutting through the leather and grazing his skin underneath.

He was really starting to hate this forest. He looked upwards, hoping for some much needed light, but it was in vain. Yuugi wasn't sure, but he thought the time was around two or three in the morning yet the sky was as pitch black as the darkest corner. He let out an involuntary shudder. This was _not_ the place he wished he was right now.

They had stayed at the party until well after midnight. Even so, it had still been in full swing when they had left. Ryou and Bakura were eagerly ingaging in liplock while Yuugi, with a smile, had embarassingly looked away. The offer of a ride had been tempting but as seeing how it was obvious those two wanted to be alone and added to that was the fact that Bakura's fullest attention would _not _be on the road, Yuugi had declined and set off, to walk home.

So now he found himself stumbling precariously through the "Ra-damned forest". Yuugi was not one for swearing but he was getting ticked off as yet _again _a low-hangin branch smacked him across the face in the dark. This was so _not_ his night.

Abruptly, a snap resounded frighteningly close and Yuugi halted his progress, at the same time, turning his gaze towards the source of the sound.

For a moment, Yuugi could discern nothing from the inclosing darkness around him.

Then, Yugi saw a shifting shadow racing towards him. He felt himself swept off his feet and a strong arm clamp down around his waist; Yuugi worriedly realized he was stuck there until his captor put him down.

The trees rushed by on either side of the hunter and his prey as Yami carried Yuugi back to a safer spot to feed. There was no need for any more of this human's kind to come walking and see Yami feeding.

Yami was pleased with another successful capture. This one hadn't even been able to struggle, it hadn't even had time. He felt a smile curve his flawless features, and he quickened his pace, eager to feed on his rather frightened victim; Yami could hear the human's heart beating faster in his chest.

What would have taken a human a day to reach by foot, a vampire could run in five minutes. Quicker than Yuugi could believe, they had reached the city and Yami vaulted over a fence and jumped up with graceful agility to the nearest roof top.

Without wasting any time, Yami turning his fearful victim around in his hold and let his bloodlust take over. Yuugi's eyes closed in fear, and then he relaxed in Yami's arms as a feeling of peacefullness settled in.

That instinct, that primal hunger, was what every vampire had known since the beginning. It started as a dull ache that reminded the blood sucker that the last time a feeding had happened had been too long ago. If it continued to be ignored, the ache flared quickly into a fiery pain that spread through the body until every movement caused pain. It was a lust that refused to allow room for breathing or morals. It heightened the senses and sensations until all that the vampire did brought the phantom feeling of blood. and all that he or she could think about was blood and satisfying their hunger.

Yuugi didn't know any of this. Before this night, he hadn't even believed that vampires actually existed...He still hadn't, until he felt the fangs at his throat. As Yami fed, he just floated on a feeling of peacefullness and didn't bother to bring his scattered thoughts together.

_This one is sweeter_, Yami thought as he fed on the human's blood. It almost seemed as if it was laced with honey, unlike most other humans who were tangy-tasting. Yami was still having difficulty controlling his hunger and just sucking him dry when a thought hit him. He wanted to actually see the face of this human. Who knew? Maybe there were more like him.

Reluctantly, Yami closed his eyes and pulled back from the human's throat. Immediately, he sighed in frustration; he had to be going soft to stop feeding on exceptionally good blood for such a trivial matter.

But he had already pulled back and Yami could feel the weak human stirring from the bloodloss-induced euphoria he had been in. Half regretting his actions, Yami opened his eyes and turned his gaze downwards towards his prey.

And stiffled a gasp.

Ths inferior human had a striking resemblence to himself. The same regal multi-colored hair stuck out of his head, the same slightly muscular build that disguised strength, at least in Yami's case, and he even wore same elegant leather clothes!

Yami was shaken, to say the least.

The only major difference between them was the human's eyes. While Yami's were a deep, striking red that could freeze his enemies in their tracks, this one's eyes were a lighter, gentle violet that beheld a kind and passionate soul.

And right now, those violet eyes were wide awake and staring angrily back at him.

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**Notes: **Yes, I know I'm starting a new story without finishing the old ones...But I couldn't resist! Don't worry, I didn't forget them!

That was a LONG first chapter! Oh yeah, I can definitely have some fun with this fanfic...So, tell me your thoughts and if you like this fic! I have most of the storyline pressed out already (Not typed but I have a plot so heh heh, hopefully I won't take TOO long to write this...) And tell me what you think of the first chappie! D


	2. Delirium

**DARK PASSIONS

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Ch 2 Delirium**

Yami was surprised. And that didn't happen often, at least not in a long, long time. The prey, his prey, was alert, awake, and aware. And it looked like him.

That just did not happen.

The sweet poison found in the bite of a vampire had allowed the hunters to seek their prey without fear of resistance; it was a way of life. For a vampire was at his strongest when he was drinking his fill, but also at his weakest. Take the right amount and they could feel infinite power running in their veins, but take too little or too much and they felt affects similar to a drug overdose. With almost the same risks and results.

This was why vampires had survived this long, by balancing life, death, and all in between. Only the best: the strongest, the smartest, the most clever, the most self-sufficient, could manage to survive through the ages.

Yami was such a being. He empowered everything that all vampires strove to achieve. That was what made him a Prince, a lord of the netherworld that the vampires had willingly chosen, yet were starting to regret.

Almost reluctantly, the vampire drew back from his victim, letting his overwhelming grip go and dropping the human unceremoniously on the ground. Yami moved away silently, safe in the knowledge that there was no way for a human to get down off the building and that he would sense if there were malicious intentions. So, Yami turned to face the city with a swish of his black cloak and lost himself in memories.

**X**

Yuugi landed in a heap, his legs giving out under his sudden weight. He had but time for a squeak before his already sore bottom hit the cold concrete and all the breath was knocked out of his lungs.

That _hurt._

For all the many thoughts racing through his jumbled mind, Yuugi could only manage to focus on the pain at the moment. He guessed that it was probably his mind's defense against the overwhelming sense of being out of his depth that threatened to take hold. This stupor endured for all of two minutes before Yuugi's restless nature took over and he clambered to his feet.

Looking over at the back of his captor, Yuugi could only stare at their remarkable resemblance. And after what had just happened, the "blood-sucking thing" as he had termed it in his own mind, Yuugi couldn't deny the fact staring him in the face.

This man was a vampire. One of those creatures of legend that had been portrayed as so many different kinds of beings that Yuugi didn't know what to do. How do you approach something you thought didn't exist? He pondered to himself dryly.

And everything that he'd been told, and read, and learned, told him that being bitten would cause pain. Maybe it was a human thing: believing pain every time your skin broke, but it remained nonetheless, thought Yuugi.

In all actuality, Yuugi hadn't really minded being this vampire's prey, the loss of such a heady and pleasurable feeling when fed on already becoming something he already wanted to try again. Only problem was the fact that he'd had no say in the matter before and somehow didn't think he would. Ever.

And the most important thing was that Yuugi had no knowledge that Yami's pulling away had been curiosity. He did not know that most victims of a vampire's hunt were found dead, didn't know that high crime rates determined the population of vampires in a place. And Yuugi didn't know that being spared, if only momentarily, was unheard of in the underground world.

The only thing Yuugi did know was that he really didn't want to stick around, anymore. Something told him to move, to get going, and not look back. Abruptly, Yuugi lost the need to stay and talk to his captor; for unknown reasons, he needed to get away.

Glancing at the vampire, Yuugi found his back still to him, apparently the demon-being was lost in thoughts of some sort. No matter to him, he brushed it off flippantly and took in his location.

On a roof with his weakened body barely holding itself upright against the wind, Yuugi stood shivering while his supposed captor ignoring him.

Not that he cared, Yuugi dismissed again. He'd just have to get down himself. . .From a thirty-something story building, with no stairs. Yuugi gulped at the chilling thought of falling to his demise those many stories below before he shook his head and walking to the edge to look down and around.

_There_. Near the corner of the building was a black, rusted ladder screwed into the brick wall. A fire-escape, _brilliant._

With something akin to glee in his glittering eyes, Yuugi shot one more look at the unresponsive dark figure before placing a tentative foot on the ladder. It was strangely solid and unmoving, though he was not. Yuugi then realized he was shaking pitifully.

Supposing these were the after affects of being 'fed' on: the shaking, the strange thoughts so unlike his own, and the unnerving calm he felt, Yuugi ignored them and began to carefully make his way down, one step at a time.

**X**

Still oblivious, Yami continued to lightly meditate, unaware that his overinflated ego was allowing his prey to just walk away. Of course, he felt the presence of human at his back, but didn't register as it slowly seeped away...As if leaving.

Wait a minute! Yami inhaled sharpy and turned his dark-eyed, intense gaze on his human prey.

Only to find the rooftop, the most impossible place to leave by human means, the ideal spot for prey...Totally empty. His eyes scoured left to right, searching for some sign of the shorter human.

Even after all this time, Yami relied on his more human senses to guide him before he used his vampiric. It was something he'd promised himself, an informal vow that kept him half-human when others his age had not.

There wasn't even a _chance_ that he'd become one of those Ra-damned soul suckers. Those vampires believed that the Da'sara were just fodder and little better than animals. They had long ago given up their sanity, taken over by the baser instincts of the vampire. Yami swore that it would never happen to him, and he intended to make sure of that.

That was what had happened to most of the remaining hunters. While the majority didn't hunt anymore, didn't enjoy the thrill of the chase and the deliciousness of success, the few that hunted human prey for their blood requirement were even more divided. There were issues on how to 'hunt' and 'enjoy' one's food.

Even now, such a long time from being human, Yami found it sickening to only refer to his prey, these humans, as 'food'. He was not naive, he knew what being Da'sara meant; after all, he'd been human once too.

But, Yami acknowledged, he knew what being Da'kana meant as well. It meant being cut off from anything remotely human. It meant struggling to keep his sanity and not letting his bloodlust rule him. It meant always acting out a role in the vampiric world, so carefully constructed, so designed to make the aches and pains of being a night creature forgettable. And it meant never letting his guard down...Like he'd done just now, he thought incredulously.

Swallowing a curse, Yami opened his mind and sought the trace of sweet blood he'd had earlier.

Once a vampire had tasted a victim's blood, it was his for life. Etching itself permanently in his memory, the blood became a homing beacon, leaving a trail through the air that only the hunter could read.

Within seconds, Yami had located the human, who was...On the side of a building? Yami shook his head; apparently there was something in this human's blood that caused strange side affects. If being caught off guard, almost letting his prey escape, and imagining things counted as anything. Maybe this was why it was so purely sweet?

Naturally, this sparked Yami's already overactive curiosity. Swiftly, he marched over and his head loomed up over the edge of the building. The glint was back in his eye as he searched, this should be entertaining.

Yuugi looked upwards at the sounds of scuffling rocks and froze as the form of the vampire overshadowed the faint light in the sky. This did not look well, he thought, unsure of how to react.

Within seconds Yuugi's fingers decided for him, as their grip on the bars loosened and he felt himself careening back wildly. For a moment, his legs supported his weight and kept his standing against the ladder, but then they also gave out and he tipped back and fell.

Plummeting past the windows of the thirty-something stories, Yuugi was in a daze. Not really caring that he was about to die a most gruesome death, he watched the window glass shimmer as if something or someone was sending ripples across it.

Waves, his dim brain registered. An arm suddenly wound its way around his middle and he was snatched back, suspended only two stories off the ground. He bounced lightly in the hold, the ground coming alarmingly close before pulling away again.

Yuugi felt sick.

The only reason he hadn't already lost all the alcohol from the party was the fact that some far away part of his brain told him that it would be rude to dump the contents of his stomach all over his savior.

Then, he was flipped over onto his back, still hanging off the ground and entirely dependent on the arm supporting him. Why was this the second time tonight that he'd been unsure what was going on? He thought to himself, bewildered at the events.

His eyes slid languidly up the unfamiliar arm to meet shoulder, to meet neck, to meet chin. Finally, his own gaze locked with the other's and he realized with a shock that it was the vampire from earlier.

Wariness clouded his features as he tried to determine the reason behind this unexpected save. What could the vampire possibly hope to gain by preventing his death? Yuugi was perplexed. He thought that all night creatures reveled in death and killing.

Something sparked between them, something electrifying, muddled, and fading at the same time, but it was ignored for the moment. The immediate question for him was the next course of action. What happens now? Wondered Yuugi, I thought I was his prey...Why am I not dead?

**X**

Yami, meanwhile, was just awakening from his trance-like state. He didn't know _what_ to think; Here he was: suspended off the ground by his vampiric magic and pitifully clutching a human, of all species.

Where had his mind gone to? He wondered with a shake of his head. Certainly somewhere good, for it seemed that it had been gone a long time. He was shocked at himself: First, he had _stopped feeding_, then he had let his prey _escape_, and then...He had _saved_ it!

Yami was disgusted with himself. And also a little worried, why had such things occurred? Why couldn't he reign in his wandering mind and finish what he started? What was going on with this human! But no answers were forthcoming.

He slumped inwardly and gave up fighting whatever instinct had been trying to rule him since he'd first tasted blood tonight. All that he showed on the outside was a softening of his eyes. As they met the eyes of the Da'sara, Yami briefly wondered why he felt apprehension before amethyst locked on violet.

Something shot from his feet to the top of his head and Yami's eyes widened. Lightening seemed to course through his veins and images flashed through his mind, too quick to comprehend.

It seemed the human was feeling the same as both vampire and human gasped and gave a shudder. Something was going on between them, something big; Yami could feel it.

But he wasn't ready for it, Yami couldn't take so much breaking of tradition and time-set methods in just one night, and for just one human. His mind was _still_ reeling from the first shock of tasting sweet Da'sara blood, and he was fast drowning in his own mind's questions.

He needed to leave, needed to get out of there before he did something he knew he'd regret. Yami didn't know what it was yet, but he could feel something building between them under the surface. It was powerful, dangerous, and irreversible; Yami _did not _need to deal with _that,_ on top of everything else.

With another sharp intake of breath, he dropped down to the ground and set the human on his feet, only sparing a glance to make sure he wasn't dead or unconscious, before turning tail and flitting away into the night.

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**Author's Note:**

Wow, to get so many reviews to continue after only one chapter! I thank each and every one of you for showing me that I shouldn't give up hope.

I'm going to be stylizing this story in a different way, more ironic and exasperating...At least, in this chapter. The writing will be presented differently, as well as the characters. I think we all need a new spin on such time-honored and loved characters. Don't you agree? And I hope to make these chapters as long as I can, so you guys can enjoy reading them just as much as I have fun writing them.

I hope you guys enjoy this new world, that seemingly created itself from a single thought.


	3. Argh

**A/N **

**Notes**: You people really like your vampire fics, don't you? Hmm, maybe it's because Yami and Yuugi make the cutest vampire couple!..Actually they make the cutest anything couple, so it fits any way you look at it. :shrugs: Works for me!

**Note2**: Anyone wanna be my beta? My old one is retiring (Haha, I'd like to think she's been scared away by my horrible writing...But alas, it wasn't meant to be so.) and I need a new one. So, if you're interesting, give me a shout out and I'll check your stuff out! You know, see if we're compatible or whatever : )

**Note3**: You guys know how much your reviews affect me? A LOT. I was planning on putting this on the backburner for a while (Please don't hurt me!) but then I saw how many people wanted to know what was going on in Yami and Yuugi's world...And I couldn't resist taking a peek myself! So here ya go, next chapter all spiffy lookin' and ready to be reviewed!

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DARK PASSIONS

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**Ch 3 Argh**

Yuugi had officially lost his mind. He had jumped off the deep end, lost his marbles, tied himself up in a knot, D: All of the above. Whatever you wanted to call it, he was the living, breathing example.

After being left in the middle of the street in the early hours of the morning, Yuugi had managed to gather his wits and try to find his sense of direction. What greeted him was a maze of twisting, turning, completely incomprehensible streets and alleys that led to absolutely nowhere or rounded back on themselves. It didn't help that Yuugi's mind wasn't all on this task, either.

Spring cleaning had come early for his brain, is it proceeded to turn the events of the past night over and over and thrust a frustrating question in, every moment or two. He was in complete confusion, his mind in constant turmoil; His feet were taking him round and round the city when he couldn't even see the ground three feet in front of him, so confused was he.

And the constant invisible corners and ruts in the ground he was smacking into and tripping over, weren't helping any. They only served to make his frustration grow. He ran two slightly shaking hands through his thick, long hair and sighed longingly for his warm bed and shower.

Yuugi's stomach growled; apparently, he was missing his fridge as well. His shoulders slumped and he leaned against the nearest wall, which turned out to be the crumbling corner of some nightclub, music still pounding under the ground and running up his feet.

He was confused; so, so confused. How had all this come about anyway? What _were_ vampires? And why was the one who had taken him, acting so strange?

Yuugi didn't need this, he really didn't. He didn't want to have his mind filled with unanswered questions that would taunt and torture him until he went insane, he didn't need to turn paranoid after just one encounter with a devilish being, and he most _certainly_ didn't need to have said vampire, filling his thoughts.

What would it take for him to completely forget this past night? Yuugi's eyes widened suddenly in hope, quickly coming up with plausable explanations. Maybe he'd just met a man wearing a vampire costume? _But that didn't explain the 'blood-sucking thing._ So maybe he'd been drunk and dreamt the whole thing up? Yuugi searched desperately for something to cling to, some shred of plausability.

Why didn't he want to believe that, though? Why did his mind persevere in believing that he'd just met a real, live, modern-day vampire? Of course, the circumstances had been strange, and maybe they hadn't met so much as the vampire had fed on him...But still, something had happened back there, and Yuugi's mind refused to give it all up as imagination, or whatever else he was trying to come up with.

Quite suddenly, a growl escaped between his tightly clenched teeth. Dream or not, he was still lost, in an unfamiliar city and with the receeding moon, his only company.

"Where the hell am I?" His frustrated voice echoed into the silence. Then, he abruptly sneezed.

This _stunk_. Alot.

A amused chuckle sounded from the shadows overhead, sending shivers down Yuugi's back. Before he could do anything, a dark form swooped down and grabbed him around the waist before flitting back up.

Oh no, not _again_, Yuugi's mind screamed as he was carried off. He'd just gotten over his _last_ attempted kidnapping!

Ra, he pleaded, Why do you hate me? What did I do to deserve this punishment? Why must--

He was cut off abruptly as he realized that the strong, tan arms holding him where attached to strong, slim shoulders, which connected to a slender neck, and a chin...And once again, Yuugi found himself staring into deep, amthyst eyes that reflected his surprise.

**X - Time lapse: Earlier same night - X  
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What was he doing? Yami berated himself even as he continued flitting through the city, on his way back to the forest where he had met this remarkable human, to drop him off and be rid of him, permanently. Still, not a word had been exchanged between them this entire time. Neither knew why, but they were certain that some spell or illusion would be broken if they allowed words to break into the reality that they had going.

After leaving one of the precious Da'sara on that street, Yami had used his vampiric speed to carry him away between the tall buildings and skim over the rooftops. He had allowed his mind to wander freely for once, and ironically, he couldn't focus on a single thought. All that kept coming back to him was this human, and his remarkable eyes.

Once again, some subconscious instinct called to him, trying to assume control of his mind and body. Yami didn't know what to do, he'd never had this kind of experience, in all of his five-thousand-year lifetime. What was a vampire to do, in this kind of situation?

So, the lord did an unheard-of thing; he lost control of himself and just let his body do what it willed.

An overwhelming desire to confront his thoughts, mainly the human on his mind, suddenly took over. Yami almost halted his progress to take it in, but the feeling passed after a moment. Now why would he want to see some lowly human?

He almost growled in frustration, but nevertheless, let this insanity take hold. And almost feverishly, he began searching the streets below for the blasted human that was doing this to him.

It came as an even bigger shock when he realized that he hadn't even bothered to take in the appearance of said human. Yami had been so astonished to find such a unique human that he hadn't even had time to take in everything else.

He mentally cursed himself again for being so absent-minded. To think, the great and powerful vampire lord, brought down by the sweet blood of a _single_ human.

What a disgrace.

Yami sighed in defeat. Whatever the damage would be after this night, Yami needed to see that man, with that striking resemblence and unusual hidden strength.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when something shuffled below him and halted with a loud thump, Yami picking it up with his heightened senses. Another specialized sense, told him in the back of his mind, that the human was near, his blood trail shining in his mind's eye.

Upon landing on the fire escape of the nearest building, Yami was about to step into the streetlamp light when he heard a growl. Was that...? Oh Ra, it was! It was that strange human from before, and he was _growling_.

Yami poked a finger into his ears, trying to clear them. Was he hearing things? He glanced around, vaguely hoping someone would jump out from the shadows and explain everything. He scowled, only half-mockingly, when no one showed up.

Nevertheless, he moved closer to try to hear what the human was saying. Curiousity seemed to be gnawing at his very mind, if how distracted he was proved anything.

_Where the hell am I?_' Drifted up to his perch, followed by an unexpected sneeze, and this time, Yami couldn't hold back a chuckle. So his human wasn't mute after all! And here he was, wondering if the delicate human had a backbone at all.

Then, the curiousity that had been previous plaguing him redoubled its efforts and suddenly, Yami found himself dropping down to the ground and picking up the surprised human before going off again.

Supressing an urge to roll his eyes at his most recent brainless scheme, something the lord hadn't done in nearly a century, Yami wondered what he was going to do now. _What to do with this human?_

_ Ah_, a thought suddenly came to him, _I'll just drop him off where I found him. After all, I certainly can't finish feeding from him tonight. I don't know what the affects will be!_

A slight panic crossed him as he thought about what else the human could be capable of, but then it disappated as Yami's reasoning told him that if that were true, it would have happened already.

**X**

Yuugi had eventually realized that it was the vampire from earlier carrying him, and so had reasonable calmed down by now. After waiting for a couple of tense minutes, for the demonic being to attack or do something dangerous, Yuugi had determined that the was not in immediate danger and so had relaxed into a more comfortable postition over his shoulder.

After another couple of minutes, Yuugi was about ready to curse his upbringing as his bouncy self asserted itself and he found himself beginning to step over the bounds of unfamiliarity and wondering if he could actually talk to the vampire.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Yuugi knew a voice was screaming at him and wondering if he had gone insane, while he also knew that a different part of his mind was yelling back, '_been there, done that_'. And then, Yuugi wondered if he was even thinking coherently if parts of his mind were arguing with each other.

But throwing caution and everything else to the wind, Yuugi suddenly raised his hand and pounded down on the back he was facing.

"Oi!" Yuugi called and was half-amused when the vampire gave a shrug, shifting him, and visibly perked his ears up. "Since you keep carrying me off and leaving me in these weird situations, would you be so kind as to 'leave me' near my apartment?"

Yuugi had been only half-joking, and so was pleasantly surprised to find the vampire nod once before narrowing his eyes in concentration.

_Uh oh_, Yuugi had forgotten to ask if the vampire needed to be told, or if he could find out using...Other means. Immediately, all the myths and stories and books that Yuugi had read about vampires poured into his mind and his eyes widened. But, his question was answered for him.

Soft, tentative touches glided across somewhere in his mind, and Yuugi correctly assumed it was the vampire behind the hidden power. For Yuugi could feel the heavy restraint and force that was gentling the contact between them.

After a quick decision in that '_A means to get home is better than walking through that damn forest again_', Yuugi slowly lowered his guard, which had sprung up unconsciously, and allowed the vampire in.

And Yuugi was further surprised to realize that the other being was still gentle in his prodding, as he sifted through Yuugi's knowledge and searched for the information about his residence.

A moment later, they were flitting between the shadows again, the vampire once more confident in his path to their destination.

**X **

It took not ten minutes before both vampire and human arrived in front of a small apartment complex. It was quiet and friendly, even at this time of night and Yami had to swallow back his brief envy over the seemingly calm life that this human led. What he wouldn't give to have the same.

Yuugi had apparently been almost lulled to sleep, judging by his swaying, with the rhythmic thump of the vampire's feet as they hit the ground. Not that anyone could blame him, it _had_ become extremely late.

Setting the human on the feet, the vampire proceeded to follow him as he led to the wall through a couple of twists and turns through the complex and arrived at the door, the same one that Yami had seem in his mind.

Finally, Yami broke the silence. "Yuugi..." His voice was almost inaudible, but Yuugi turned just the same and stared back at the vampire, his brow furrowed.

"How do you know...?" He trailed off as he remembered when the vampire had entered his mind. _So, the vampire had gotten more information that just his address, was it? _Something inside Yuugi stirred indignantly at that thought but he pushed it away for now.

Yami smirked, for an instant feeling some of that old control return to him before Yuugi asked the question: "What's your name? Because I don't think I can keep referring to you as 'it' or 'the..._vampire_'."

Yuugi's voice stumbled over on the last word, some doubt remaining as to whether this man was actually a blood-sucking creature. But then he grinned, two, pointy fangs glinted in the moonlight, and Yuugi's doubts were laid to rest.

"Just call me," The vampire's voice was smooth and deep, just as Yuugi thought it would be. "Yami," He breathed his name and before Yuugi could form a reaction, or even a response, Yami was gone. Flickered out in the night.

The last thought, from both of them, was, _What a night, _before all coherency was washed away.


	4. Backtracking the Bash

**A/N**

**Note:** Holy crap! You guys must _really_ like your vampire fics then! Not a moment had I uploaded the next chapter that I got a bunch of reviews, requesting more! Aw, you guys make me WANT to continue writing! Thank you, each and every one of you, who've reviewed. You know who you are, and I hope you know how it affects me. I know I'm not the only one who goes all giggly with glee when I get reviews!

**Note2:** They need to talk more, don't they? I've got to get some dialogue going here...(What's _wrong_ with you, Yuugi & Yami? You must have _something_ on your minds that you want to voice!...NO! Sexual innuendos do _not_ count!..You want to _what_?...Er, maybe it's a good thing you haven't been talking alot, Yami...)

**Note3:** Oops, I forgot the disclaimer. Do I really need that thing at all? I mean, I AM posting on FANFICTION (DOT) NET! Whatever...I don't own what I don't own, or something to that extent. XP

**Note4:** Don't confuse Azura with Anzu! They're two entirely different people. Plus, I'm not sure if Anzu's gonna be in this fic at all...

**Note5:** The beta issue is at a stand-still at the moment. I've narrowed it down between two people, who are proficient in two different areas! Maybe I'll just divide it between them...In any case, I haven't contacted anyone so if I'm interested on you, you'll find out later.

**Note6:** ENJOY! **_Review_** please!

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** CH 4 Backtracking the Bash  
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The sun was already shining obnoxiously through Yuugi's window when he was forced awake. For a second, panic took over as he forgot where he was and what he was doing...But another second later, it all came crashing back.

The party, the strange night, the vampire. "_Yami_..." He groaned before shaking his head to clear it and slowly standing up, getting out of the bed. A quick glance told him that he was still wearing his clothes from last night, he'd not bothered to take them off when he'd gone to bed. Something about being too tired for words; he only had vague recollections of stumbling up to his room.

Yuugi was cheerfully on his way to the bathroom to vomit, when he passed by the dresser mirror. The sight that stared back at him was truly comical.

He was pale, paler than usual, with dark circles under his eyes that only made his large eyes stand out even more. Furthermore, his entire body looked limp, like he'd been in the sauna for too long, and his hair was flopped lazily over to the side. He looked a mess.

A sudden exasperated giggle escaped his throat as he took in his amusing self. From his lazy hair to his rumpled, poor outfit, Yuugi was thoroughly done in, and he looked it. He turned slowly to see if his back had received any further changes, and stopped short.

Four large slashes started at his right shoulder and extended across his back, ripping through leather and black undershirt alike, leaving the skin under it untouched. What's more, was that the cuts were perfect, cutting down diagonally over one shoulder blade and down his spine. These were too precise to be accidental, too certain of their path to be made by himself tripping over something. Yuugi knew this for certain.

That left one solution: "_Yami_," This time, his name was a hiss on Yuugi's tongue. A blush crept up his back and into his face, filling in the holes of his shirt with embarassing color. _What was the point of all of it?_ He was completely confused, _Why has Yami done this?_

Righteous indignation suddenly flared through him; _How dare he?_ He thought incredulously. _This was one of my newer costumes too! I'll get you for this, Yami!_

He then proceeded to stomp the rest of the way out of the room and down the hall, to the kitchen. A cup of coffee would do wonders to ease the pounding headache he was getting, which was worsening by the minute.

Another groan escaped him when he finally finished preparing his breakfast and sank down at the table. He'd must not have gotten all his energy back from yesterday's happenings, he felt incredibally drained once again. After only a couple of bites though, his eyelids were becoming heavy.

Yuugi didn't know how he managed to, once again, shuffle back to his room and tumble into bed. All he knew was the bliss of the sheets against his skin and one last thought of revenge directed at the vampire who'd done him such an injustice.

* * *

Yami, on the other hand, was feeling no such fatigue. In fact, he was feeling downright bouncy. Last night, he'd only needed a couple of hours of sleep to tide him over before he'd shot up like a light sometime during the morning. He'd proceeded to gather his bouncy, hyperactive mind and gain enough control to dress and go out to explore the cleverly disguised 'exclusive hotel' that he'd been staying in. 

It was, in fact, a haven for vampires and other night creatures alike. Only they were accepted and knew what it actually was; the rest of the city considered it to be just another ridiculously expensive place to stay.

Yami almost felt like letting an uncharacteristic giggle lose as he remembered his parting 'gift' to the unfortunate human. In a moment of insanity, he'd expanded the holes he's punctured in his outfit with his extremely strong and long nails. What he hadn't expected was the human to turn around so quickly, causing the vampire to leave scratches longer than he'd intented.

Of course, he restrained his inexplicable amusement and decided to visit the night bar on the lowest floor, for lack of anything better to do. After all, he couldn't go outside in the daylight, now could he?

Everything was still in full swing when he got there. Be it day or night, the craving every nightbreed felt was that of the dance. The need to perform and sing and dance, and just generally party was in every breeds' blood and it could become quite unbearable after going a while without it.

As Yami surveyed the scene, he picked out the faces of a couple of old vampires that he knew. Over there, near the window was Azura, _Countess_ Azurath in another lifetime, centuries past. She was the most politically active of them all, and currently trying to form peaceful relations with the mistrustful werewolves.

Sitting at the piano was Seto, more widely known as Seto Kaiba in the business world. The music he was playing at the moment was haunting with a sadness that couldn't be placed, and it was having a visible affect on the room. Everyone was subdued somewhat, even the rowdy people near the bartender. Yami personally knew that Seto hadn't chosen to be a vampire, he'd been forced into it by another, long-dead now, who'd fallen in love with him.

Yami could also pick out Bakura sitting near the back, obviously entertaining his captive audience with a retelling of some party he'd been to last night. It was rare that the night creatures had relations with the Da'sara, let alone a romance. _Yet another reason why Bakura has such a large and eager crowd_, Yami observed.

He headed over in his direction, maybe Bakura would have some knowledge on what had happened to him last night.

"...And me and Ryou were about ready to hit the sack, if you know what I mean. Oh, I almost forgot that he'd brought some friend along to the Bash, some weird looking human with tri-colored hair and belt-and-buckle preferences, if ya _know_ what I_ mean_."

A snicker went around the group, the shapeshifters, in their perversion, being the loudest. They, of course, would know all the 'preferences' and fetishes. Being able to shapeshift _did_ have its perks: gender, age, and requirements had no meaning, after all.

But Yami didn't hear any of it, his mind had caught on what Bakura had said. A Bash was risky enough as it was, being a feeding grounds for those who still liked to feed on humans but didn't hunt. The willing blood arrived to dance and generally party and were one-by-one taken to other siderooms and used, only to be released sometime later back to the main room in a state of euphoria and ready to picked up by someone else.

But if what Yami had heard from Bakura had been correct, the friend that Bakura's boyfriend had brought could be Yuugi, that description could hardly apply to anyone else. All but a few people had such a combination of hair and clothes. But Yami stilled needed more information.

Bakura suddenly found himself cut off in midsentence by his friend's abrupt bark of "Bakura!". Even though he wasn't particularly angry, he still felt put out. Obviously Yami had something on his mind and that meant Bakura's story-telling was over. And he'd just gotten to the best part too!

He scowled, "_What?_"

Yami's expression darkened. "Come with me." And with that, he turned on his heel and crossed the room, sitting down at a table far from the earshot of anyone interested in their conversation.

Bakura blinked and turned back to his audience. He grinned, amused. "Show's over, folks," And got up to follow Yami to the sound of several protests.

He plopped down at the table and fishing out a dagger, started to pick his teeth with it. "Well, spit it out," he prompted.

Yami frowned in disgust at his friend's antics, _How does Ryou put up with him?_, before taking a deep breath.

"I'm in deep shit," Was his opening line and Bakura snorted.

'Wouldn't be the first time, Pharaoh."

Yami scowled. Having friends from his beginning in Egypt _did_ have its positives, but then again, they had all the dirt on you. Maybe it was a good thing that they were your friends.

"Well, Tombrobber, at least I don't have you to thank this time. But wait, you might be responsible for my problems yet! Recount your evening, please."

Bakura could only grin, in part from being able to retell his outings again and in part from causing Yami trouble. And to top it all off, Yami had even said _please_! If there was one thing he enjoyed, it was seeing his friend in a rut. Best form of entertainment, in his opinion.

"Well, me and Ryou went to that Bash I was talking about. The one _you_ refused to go to," Bakura said pointedly, "Which is why I'm stuck here recounting it all to you!" He finished with a mock-glare.

Yami only replied. "Oh please, like I'd ever go there! It's no wonder you've become lazy and fat, not having to hunt for your own food. As we were _meant_ to do!"

"Well, who's looking out for us, huh? I don't see anyone coming to complain why we aren't going out and about, getting food that's coming to _us_! And willingly too! The only ones raising a fuss are _you _people! And I'm _not_ fat!" Bakura finished with a sniff.

"Very well. But you _are_ still lazy. And I didn't come here to discuss this issue. I have much more important matters. Continue, Bakura."

Bakura gave him a real glare this time before continuing. "Anyway, me and Ryou--"

He was cut off again as Yami interrupted. "By the way, does Ryou know about you being a vampire?"

Bakura squirmed in his seat, suddenly very anxious to avoid the subject. But Yami continued to hold his gaze and Bakura found himself talking anyway.

"Well, _no_...But not from lack of trying!" He threw up his hands. "I was about to tell him last night when another Lord tried to buy him off me, which _did_ become an awkward situation, but Ryou got sidetracked by that friend of his."

Yami was instantly at attention. "Friend?"

"Yeah," Bakura's expression returned to its normal grumpy look. "Some guy with spiky hair that kept switching colors on me. He was kinda quiet too, I think."

He leaned back in his seat. "Now what was his name again? Yeppy? Yappy..No, that's not right. Yani? Yegi?..."

"Yuugi?" Yami breathed, unconsciously leaning forward in his seat and staring intently at the former tombrobber.

"_That's_ it!" Bakura smiled gratefully, but the next minute he frowned in confusion."Wait a minute, how did you...?"

Yami stood up abruptly, "I've got to go," he said, before turning and walking out, already lost in thought.


	5. Over My Head

**A/N **

**Note: **And once again, I was blown away by the number of people who reviewed in such a short amount of time! I hope all of you have at least an_ idea_ of the euphoria I get when I see review alerts in my inbox. I'm literally bouncing of the walls! I especially love it when a reviewer takes the time to review each chapter, even when they came in after I've started writing! It makes me all happy, and glowy inside...Well, needless to say, you've all made me rush to the keyboard to furiously type out the next chapter!

**Note2:** I've just received the belated instructions on how to program an "Instant-Beta". In a nutshell, I blackmail my beta into beta-ing and then voila! You guys get a chapter! So say hello and thanks to my wonderful new "Grammer and Spelling" beta. Find her on here as **Completed Irony**. She also shares my fanfiction site with me! Yay! She has limited knowledge of anime but a very sharp awareness for...Er, other mistakes. I might request a storyline/canon beta in the future, though! So, I hope those of you who've offered will still be open!

**Note3:** I don't appreciate people telling me that my chapters were pointless. It hurts my feelings. No matter if you didn't mean it, or just wanted something to stick onto a review, please refrain from telling me what I write has no meaning._ I_ am the one writing, and _I_ know what should belong in the story and what shouldn't. Please respect my opinion. Thank you.

**Note4:** Enjoy and please **_review_**!

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DARK PASSIONS

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Ch 5 Over My Head  
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Bakura stared after the rapidly diminishing backside of the former pharaoh, a bewildered expression on his face.

"Bastard," he grumbled to himself, "Didn't even tell me _why_ he was in 'deep shit'. What kind of advice-seeker is he anyway?"

Bakura sat in silence for a while before another thought popped into his mind: _I didn't even get to finish my__ story! _He pouted, _Not fair.  
_

At that moment, Seto was passing by his table and caught the sullen expression on the other vampire's face, oddly resembling a child whose candy had just been taken away.

Seto cleared his throat. "You know," He offered, amused. "If you keep your face like that, it'll get stuck that way."

Bakura glanced up and made a half-hearted attempt at kicking him. Seto just stepped sideways, out of reach of his boot-clad foot.

"And we both know Ryou wouldn't want that," Seto finished with mock concern, a wry expression on his face.

Bakura grinned horribly. "Shut up, Priest. I'm in no mood for your whining today," He shot back, knowing it would rile the more stately vampire up.

Of course, Seto didn't need to be reminded of his reincarnation status. Nor did he like the fact that he'd been important and well-remembered in his past life, especially by the likes of Bakura and Yami. Add his now immortal life on top of all that, especially the part about him being a blood-sucking vampire, and Seto wondered why he was still sane.

"Don't _call_ me that!" He sighed, exasperated. Bakura just grinned and crossed his arms.

"So, what's up with the Pharaoh?" He genuinely asked.

Seto rolled his eyes in annoyance, he didn't know. Not yet, anyway.

A pressure sounded at the back of the perplexed vampire's mind, like a knock. Of course, Bakura knew it was virtually impossible to enter another vampire's mind undetected, unless you were really wimpy, but it made him smirk nontheless when the Priest was reduced to actually being polite. Now _there_ was something you didn't see every day.

A moment later, Seto was all caught up on the going-ons, reading quickly through the memories Bakura selected for him and imprinting them on his own mind. You know, it never did hurt to have such a fantastic memory, and the mind powers were a plus too. It was no wonder Seto was as big a success as he was, being able to go without sleep for longer periods of time and being able to store more information much faster in his brain as he did. His competition had no chance, whatsoever.

Finally becoming bored with the time it was taking for the CEO to digest the information and produce an answer, Bakura moved things into motion in his own unique way.

"Hey pea-brain, anyone home?" He voiced crudely. It's not like it took careful thought to take a guess; all you needed was some background information, which Seto had just recieved, and common sense, which Bakura wasn't sure if the other vampire had enough of.

Seto just grunted before turning slighty away as well, but not before Bakura caught the expression on his face, which seemed to taunt him in saying 'I know something you don't know'.

It was enough to make Bakura howl. _First the stupid Pharaoh, and now the even stupider Priest. Alright Ra, who hates me up there besides you?  
_

"What aren't you telling me?" He demanded of other vampire.

"Tombrobber," Seto was only seriously ticked when he used their past professions, even if only subconsciously, "If you are thick enough not to see what's going on, then I don't see the need to enlighten you."

He strode away on his heel, calling over his shoulder in a loud voice and catching the attention of the whole bar room. "Who knows? Perhaps you might just be clever to figure it out eventually."

Bakura scowled and gave the CEO the one-finger salute, who saw it and chuckled.

"Or perhaps not."

* * *

The hotel staff scurried out of the vampire Lord's way as he stomped back to his rooms. 

By now, they were sufficiently used to his moods and had been instructed in the 'proper' way to go about handling him. Of course, it had been Bakura doing the instructing, so the management had yet to figure out why their methods were causing more problems than solving them.

But Yami didn't even seem to notice the effort on their part: like how the maids dive-bombed out of his direct path, or the guards dropped their poker cards and saluted him "the military way" as he sailed past.

No. Yami was lost in his own thoughts, more specifically thoughts of flashing amythest eyes and spiky hair. Why, oh why, couldn't he get rid of that blasted human? He was practically stalking the vampire in his mind!

_Well, this was an abrupt change of pace_, he thought suddenly. Yami was the one usually being harrassed by lovesick and awestruck fangirls who threw themselves at him; even dignified vampire Ladies who didn't blink an eye in the face of danger had no shame!

What kind of god decided it would be fun to mess with the demon lord's head and stick that human in? Ra, he sounded like some broken record!

Yami groaned as the doors closed on the elevator and slowly began moving upwards. He leaned against the cold, mirrored wall and stared at his own reflection.

_Yes_, he smirked, vampires did have reflections. He'd always found it amusing that the humans had taken to believing, even swearing on their lives, that vampires didn't have any. With all of his years, he still didn't know what had started such a ridiculous myth. He and Bakura had laughed their asses off, during some drunken festivities, at the absurdness of not having anything staring back at you when you looked in a mirror. Those had beed some very funny, lude, and suggestive conclusions that they had come up with, he thought with a smile.

But, he sighed in defeat, that was a thought path his mind refused to take at the moment and quickly reverted back to his earlier contemplations of the human and Da'sara in general.

"_Dammit_..." he heard himself mutter.

Finally, he focused slightly to realize that the color was draining slowly from his face and he noted that he'd have to go out hunting again. Like last night...

_Must not think of that human; Da'sara are to be hunted _only_. Must not think__, not think of Yuugi...Dammit, don't think of his name, you imbecile! _

Yami also realized, but didn't care, that he had large, dark circles under his eyes. It's not like he needed that much sleep, but maybe the few hours he'd allowed himself had been too few.

_Sleep_, he latched onto the one coherent thought. Now that was a good idea. He's sort all of this out later, when hopefully, the human had left his mind.

* * *

Yuugi yawned and woke up for the second time that day. He glanced at the alarm clock next to his bed and shrugged. 7 pm; Not bad, considering how late he'd been out and how horrible he'd felt earlier in the day. 

With that, he suddenly remembered how he'd been supposed to call Ryou after he'd returned from the party. Of course, that had been _before_ Yami had come along and kidnapped him...And _fed_ on him...And dropped him of at _home_.

Yuugi scratched his head in puzzlement, the truly bizzare situation finally hitting home. His mind had been mostly muddled last night and he'd not thought things through or questioned his actions. But now, in the full light of the afternoon sun, he wanted to crack up laughing.

Of course the vampire had been trying to kill him! Every vampire book he'd ever read had stressed that vampires kill their prey when they fed, draining them of their blood. Yuugi had been stupid to assume he'd met the only one out of all of them who didn't kill.

And then he'd actually let the vampire into his mind! What was he thinking? Yuugi quickly scanned through hazy recollections of one book that had told him that vampires had great mind power, mind-to-mind communication being only one of the things they could do. It was only limited by the natural barriers around a mind, only taken down with the permission of the owner.

Yuugi sighed, it seemed that any chance he'd had of protecting himself from the vampire, should he come again, were going up in flames. _But_, he thought logically, _Why would he bother himself with me again? I'm nothing special. _

Still, it would have felt better to have at least _something_ to use, in case the vampire came back to finish what he started.

Wait a minute. Yuugi backed up in his memory, almost as if he'd rewound a tape in his head.

Yuugi had also learned the vampire's name.

"Yami..." His voice was tentative, trying out the name. Wasn't that a bad thing for the vampire though? Another book, a more recent one, told Yuugi that yes, it _was_ a disadvantage for the vampire if a human knew his his/her name. Something about being able to extend the ability of nonverbal speech to that human as well.

He sighed in frustration then, and ran a hand through his hair. He didn't know what to think or do. His experience last night had been so bizzare and unexpected and so unlike anything he'd ever done before that Yuugi just found it better to forget about it for the moment.

But Ryou still needed to be called, so he grabbed the phone from its stand in the kitchen and flopped onto the couch. It only took a couple of rings before Ryou's cheerful voice called through the phone.

"Hello, Ryou speaking!"

"Ryou? Hey, it's Yuugi."

"Hey there. You're home! I called you before, you know. Of course, you didn't answer. I was getting kind of worried when you didn't call me back right away last night. Bakura did tell me that you probably were too tired to pick up the phone, but then again, he's been acting strange these past few days..." Ryou trailed away as he realized he had been rambling and Yuugi had been silent on his end.

"So, what happened anyways?"

More silence and then Yuugi sighed through the phone. Ryou, in the kitchen at his end, frowned.

"You wouldn't believe it, if I told you." Came the reply, half incredilous and half resigned.

"Well, did you get home okay, at least?" Ryou pushed gently. Yuugi surprised him by snorting suddenly and giving a laugh.

"Oh Ryou, I got home alright. Just differently than I expected. Listen, I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Ryou hung up the phone, his imagination already coming up with stories about what could have happened to his friend. He became so caught up in his theory that he was only brought back by the smell of something burning on the stove.

"My apron!"


	6. Sound Ideas

**A/N**

**Note**: Sorry that I got you guys all happy and waiting for the next chapter...And it didn't show up. I'd only written up to that point and was editing it slightly before I posted, so that's why the updates were really close together. Now, I'll actually be developing the plot and all that jazz! Plus, someone asked me to make the lovely chappies longer (Sorry, can't remember who at the moment) so this is over 3000 words! Yay! (...I talk too much. XP)

**Note2**: YAY! I've officially got a new beta! Name of JK Fie'r (Find her link in my bio), she'll be doing most of the tediousness associated with writing. So be nice, greet the poor girl, and say THANKS! Without her, this chapter would still be being written (heh heh...).

**Note3**: I am officially addicted to reviews. The more I get, the happier I become, the more I want to write! So review on, faithful readers, and watch the next chapter appear like magic!

_JK_: If any of you wish to complain about the lateness of this particular update, feel free to blame me. It's my fault.

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Ch 6 Sound Ideas  
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Yami awoke with a splitting headache, and immediately forced his head back under his pillow, where it was much cooler. A muffled groan still escaped him and he buried himself further into his bed.

So preoccupied was Yami with trying to convince his body to go back to sleep, that he almost missed the amused laugh of someone else in his room.

_Trespassers_, was his fleeting thought before he instantly jolted awake.

The vampire sprang into action with superhuman speed, ripping the pillow off and flinging it in the general direction of the voice before following it, a dagger in his hand.

Although his body was highly alert, aware of the slightest change in the air, Yami's mind continued to doze on as he sailed across the room. It was only when he had the intruder pinned under him with the ancient Egyptian dagger (yes, he had his preferences) at its throat, that Yami realized it was Seto, the infamous glare on his features.

"Is this how you always greet people when you wake up?" came Seto's amused and slightly exasperated greeting.

With a sheepish grin, Yami slid of him and stood, trying to bring the fuzzy parts of his brain together. Maybe teaching both him and the Tomb Robber the secret of magical lock-picking had been a bad idea...All they ever seemed to do, with the talent he'd bestowed upon them, was pick _his_ guard spells and mind barriers.

Of course, the mind barriers never came down, but they –in particular the Tomb Robber- never gave up hope.

This relatively flawless break-up pointed out another factor: Yami's guarding spells needed a much-needed update if Seto had gotten in his room so easily, disarming the alarms perfectly so that they didn't alert him before turning off as they were supposed to, if tampered with. He frowned as he tried to figure out a time when he could visit the Spell Witch in this city.

_What would be her name?_ He wondered, forgetting about Seto for the moment and recalling certain facts. "If the city's called Domino, then..."

"She's called Vraza 'Domin," Offered Seto, and at Yami's blank look clarified, "The Spell Witch, I mean."

When Yami continued to sport a vaguely suspicious look on his face, Seto smirked. "I didn't look in your mind, idiot. You said it out loud."

"Oh," was the other vampire's intelligent remark before he remembered why he'd been woken up in the first place. "What do you want, Priest?" he tossed over his shoulder as he walked into the bathroom.

Yami missed the glower sent his way but chuckled upon hearing the muffled curse. "Don't _call_ me that!"

Like the Tomb Robber, it amused him to no end that Seto, high and mighty priest in his past life with a self-important air that made you want to throttle him, had been reincarnated as this high and mighty CEO, who also had a self-important air, but mention anything remotely related to Egypt and watch Seto fly off into a rage.

Amused, he shook his head. _Some things never change._

Seto narrowed his eyes, almost certain the former pharaoh's private joke had been at his expense, before returning to the question at hand.

"The truth, Yami," Seto gestured with one hand towards himself, as if asking for a physical thing. "None of that vague shit you pull with Bakura. _I_ am not so easy to fool; I know something happened last night that you're not telling me."

Yami ignored the accusations, true as they were, in favor of attacking Seto again in the area he knew infuriated the intruding vampire the most: his pride.

"Not so easy to fool, eh?" Yami drawled, tilting his head to the side and staring at the other vampire through the mirror, as he put on his jewelry and assorted belts and buckles. _Ah, nothing like a good leather belt against your skin…_

"I seem to recall a certain incident with Bakura and your precious coffee machine." Yami remarked as innocently as he could manage while trying to zip up the back of his leather outfit and squinting into the mirror.

To his embarrassment, Seto could feel the beginnings of a blush color his cheeks. Somehow, Bakura had managed to 'borrow' some of his newest technology, which could simulate the "Worst Case Scenario", when programmed with the necessary information, in a live action clip. How he'd figured out that Seto was dependant on his coffee in the mornings and had a routine, Seto would never know, but the result was his inability to go near the poor, abused coffee machine for a week.

And the rest of the vampires had then found out the hard way that they should never, ever again separate Seto from his coffee, under any circumstances. Of course, Bakura had managed to land himself a trip out of the country during that period, and missed the entire episode...Not that he'd _planned_ on any of that, of course!

"That was a one time thing, and you know it, Yami!" Seto's reply was clipped, and Yami couldn't hold back another chuckle. Sometimes, it was just too easy to get under the other vampire's skin.

Then, Seto's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment. "Hey, wait a minute! Don't you go turning this all on _me_; we're here to discuss _you_, idiot."

"Unfortunately," Yami muttered under his breath as he followed the taller vampire down the hall, toward the elevator.

_Ding!_

The door closed behind them and Seto let out a frustrated sigh that echoed off the mirrored walls. "Fine! But we're going out then, and by the end of the night- By gods Yami, you _will_ tell me what happened last night, and then I'll be satisfied. Got it?"

Yami was about to reply that lower ranking priests didn't have a say in what a pharaoh could do, thereby pissing off the already pissed off Kaiba even more, when the elevator stopped and opened to admit none other than Bakura.

Seto smacked himself in the forehead.

"What's all this about going out then?" Bakura grinned. "Sounds like fun, I'll invite Ryou!"

Yami's gaze darted furtively from side to side as he scrambled for an excuse to get out of going and Bakura continued to grin, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Seto just looked upwards in despair: "Why me?"

**

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**

"God, I'm _bored_," Yuugi whined once again, to no one in particular. He'd been at home the majority of the day, trying to do non-strenuous things and limit his activities so he could regain his energy.

But people with personalities like his were not meant to sit still, and Yuugi found himself getting up to pace his apartment for what felt like the zillionth time. _There must be something_ fun _I could do,_ he thought.

_If I have the energy to pace, than I obviously have the energy for..._Yuugi trailed off as a thought hit him. He dived for the phone, and flipped over the back of the couch, landing with an 'oof!'. _Maybe that wasn't a smart idea_, he reflected before dropping the issue with a shrug and began to dial.

On the other end of the line, Ryou was trying to juggle his papers, dinner, and TV remote. _Sometimes, it just didn't pay to multi-task_, he thought ruefully before dropping everything in surprise as the phone abruptly rang. _Like now_.

"Yes, yes. Ryou speaking!" He spoke into the phone, out of breath. Ryou waited for the other to speak as he surveyed the damage to his kitchen.

His dinner was smeared all over the counter and dripping down the sides, the TV remote looked like it had been jammed in between the cabinet door handles, and his papers, well, he wouldn't be getting any value out of them anymore.

Yuugi giggled, already in good spirits if his friend was ruffled, which was a very rare occurrence.

"Hey Ryou! Sounds like you've got something going on there, eh?"

After a second, Ryou blushed scarlet when the meaning of Yuugi's words registered. His voice came out a squawk, "I most certainly do not!"

Yuugi giggled again, goading Ryou was just too fun. "Great, then you wouldn't mind going out with me!"

"I dunno, Yuugi. Last time you decided where we'd go, we ending up driving in circles in the red-light district with that biker gang on our tail!"

Yuugi laughed nervously, "Aw, come on, Ryou, that was only one time! And who knew that the bikes were real? I didn't mean to knock them all over!"

Ryou ran a hand through his hair in thought. "Oh, all right. God knows, I need a break after all this work; my head's running in circles."

"I'll be around in half an hour, or so. And guess what, Ryou?" Yuugi's voice took on a blissful tone. "We're going _clubbing_!"

And with that, Yuugi hung up, leaving Ryou to sputter indignantly into the phone. "But, but- Oh, why _that_?"

Not a second later, the phone rang shrilly again, and this time it was Bakura on the other end.

"Hey there, stranger," He purred. Ryou merely raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Stranger, am I?" He grinned mischievously. "Guess you've got the wrong number then. Cheerio!"

"Oh, you're no fun, Ryou," Bakura scowled while Yami snickered in the background. "Anyway, you and me are going out, and the Pharaoh and High Priest are tagging along."

Ryou tsked, "Sorry Bakura, you should have made reservations. I'm going out with Yuugi, although you're welcome to meet us-"

"Done!" Was Bakura's instant reply. "You have _no_ idea how annoying those two are. After all," He lowered his voice until it was only audible to Ryou, "I'd _much_ rather be spending my time with you."

Ryou inevitably blushed at that, before he caught something that his boyfriend had said previously. "Ph-pharoah? Er, High Priest? Bakura, what kind of names are those?"

It was now Bakura's turn to stammer, he frantically searched for an excuse, "Er, um...Oh yeah, they're nicknames. _Nicknames_, Ryou."

"Weird..." He murmured. "Yuugi didn't say where exactly we were going but I'm sure I can guess. Just look for the loudest and most crowded club in the city, ok?"

"Right-o," Bakura replied mimicking a thick British accent, something he liked to do because it amused Ryou, who was also British. Well, the vampire had lived in London, but that was some time ago and his actual accent had worn out, leaving nothing to suggest where he had been.

"Okay then, love ya 'kura," Ryou said shyly, and then giggled in surprise as Bakura pressed the phone to his mouth and gave it a kiss that vibrated through Ryou's ear.

"I'll be seeing you, Love," Bakura whispered in a low voice before hanging up.

Ryou let the hand holding the phone fall to his side as he propped himself up against the counter. _Sometimes_, he thought blissfully, _it did pay to multi-task, especially with a boyfriend like Bakura._

* * *

"Yuugi!" Ryou gasped out as, once again, he was left behind. "Wait up!" 

They'd actually managed to make it to the club before remembering what night it was.

"_Ryou..." Yuugi had groaned while smacking himself in the forehead. "It's Saturday...Saturday _night_! How could we have forgotten that?"_

_"Well, I didn't forget it, Mr. Let's-Go-Clubbing-Without-Asking-If-Ryou-Wants-To-Go," The other sniffed indignantly._

"_Aw, Ryou," Yuugi grinned. "You know you want to be here."_

_Ryou chose to ignore him as he surveyed the crowd and scanned his mind for options. Going home was a definite no, Yuugi had so much energy he looked like he was about to start bouncing off the walls. Waiting was an option...But only if they wanted to wait into next week; the line was already stretched two blocks from the entrance._

_Wait a minute! Ryou's eyes widened as he remembered. He turned Yuugi around from where he'd been eyeing the crowd with a little _too_ much interest, "Listen Yuugi, I forgot to tell you, Bakura's coming!"_

_Yuugi's eyes widened as he caught on, "Yes, we're saved!" He gave a 'whoop' and jumped into the air, drawing a few stares from those nearest._

_Lucky for them, Bakura was a party legend; that was, in fact, how Ryou had met up with him. And being a legend did have its perks, such as free and instant admission among other things._

Now, they'd been running through the crowd, searching for a white-haired, leather-clad figure, though so far with no results. Although they had gone so far as to mistaken someone's fur-trimmed coat and a discarded stuffed toy as The Bakura.

And Yuugi still had energy to burn; Ryou was astonished at the rate at which his friend darted through the crowd, zipping from one area to the next. And Ryou was beginning to doubt if Yuugi was actually looking, so quick did he flit to and fro, with no apparent system.

About ready to call it quits and just watch Yuugi search, for it was quite amusing to see the indignant girls and windswept guys he left in his wake, Ryou didn't notice the dark form loom up in front before he hit it, dead on.

"Oof!" He let out a soft grunt as the ground tilted and came up to meet him backwards. But a hand with a familiar strong grip wrapped itself around his waist and righted him.

" 'Ello, Love," Was the amiable greeting.

"Bakura!" Ryou exclaimed in happiness and wrapped his arms around Bakura's own waist in return. Calling for Yuugi over his shoulder (he was sure the other would hear, as high-strung as Yuugi was at the moment, so were his senses), Ryou turned to greet the rest of Bakura's friends, or 'freeloaders', as Bakura dubbed them, to which Seto crossed his arms and Yami snorted.

* * *

Not really knowing if all the energy in his system was from his excitement or from saving up his energy all day, Yuugi raced past the same couple for a fifth time, once again ruffling their appearance and earning a few strange stares from the people standing around. 

He couldn't help it; something in his system had turned on and Yuugi just couldn't hold any of it back. Not that he wanted to; in any case, being full of so much exuberance was fun and enjoyable. Sometimes, he just wished everyone could be so optimistic and joyful, but, and he always remembered this with reluctance, that wasn't the way of the world. He knew that there needed to be balance: light and dark, happy and sad. Or else no one would appreciate the good things, if there was nothing in comparision.

But, he beamed at another couple he just passed and received confused smiles in return, this wasn't a time to be thinking such thoughts. He and Ryou were out here to have fun, enjoy themselves, and forget the worries of life, at least for tonight. Speaking of whom, where _had_ Ryou gone?

Yuugi halted in his search, of which he had half-forgotten, and scanned the crowd for the familiar figure of his friend. And then Ryou's voice sounded from somewhere behind him, and Yuugi's happy countenance was back again. With a grin, he jumped down from the box he'd been standing on, and headed towards the direction he thought Ryou would be.

What he wasn't expecting was to see Ryou standing with an entire group of people, dressed formidably in black. A challenging thought flitted across Yuugi's mind in which he wondered if they danced as well as they dressed. Ryou caught sight of him as he neared and alerted the rest of the group, who had their backs to his general direction.

A greeting upon his lips, Yuugi froze as familiar and haunting crimson eyes turned to meet his; and they reflected the same shock he felt. They seemed to stand like that for an eternity, yet time had stopped and both crimson and amethyst hung in the wave of overpowering emotion that followed.

Out of anyone he imagined to see tonight, Yami had thought the last would with this human, Yuugi. All he'd wanted was to forget, to leave behind all that snapped at his heels in reality, but it seemed that was not what was meant to be. The one person who'd successfully imprinted himself onto the vampire's mind throughout his long life and wasn't letting go, now stood in front of Yami.

To say he had no defense or response to this kind of situation was an understatement; Yami's logical and thorough mind had shut down, leaving his unprotected and unsure of how to proceed. For once, he found himself vulnerable.

Yuugi stood with his hand half-raised, all things forgotten save for the need to make sure the person standing in front of him was really there. And suddenly, the reason for his restlessness all day and abrupt bursts of energy tonight were explained. Yuugi had been thinking of this vampire without pause, and without reason, his mind trying to make sense of an incomplete encounter with something he thought didn't exist.

The yearning for an answer to his limitless questions had choked off his ability to forget, to put away from his mind that which plagued it, leading to the need to get rid of his frustration through the one way that he knew how. That's why he had convince Ryou to come out here tonight; they were also known throughout the red-light district…But unfortunately, those that knew them were already inside the club.

And just as abruptly, his and Yami's eye contact was broken and they came back down to Earth.

Ryou's voice drifted back into his consciousness, and Yuugi realized that Ryou had been introducing him to the group. Names came back to him that must have registered on some level in his mind. Seto was the tall one with a sad expression on his face that he was masking with a stony stare, Yuugi could only see it because he'd become quite good at reading people, a normal person wouldn't know the difference.

Yuugi's gaze focused in on Ryou's boyfriend, Bakura. He saw the strange resemblance every time: the same snowy, white hair and bottomless, brown eyes. Yet Bakura's eyes flashed in the neon lights and Yuugi saw the age reflected there, the years that he felt. Bakura also wore more leather, he thought in amusement, and it was tighter too.

"...So shall we go in, then?" Ryou inquired, nudging Yuugi in the side and unintentionally breaking the thought-trap that had held him quiet and captive. Yuugi blinked and nodded slightly in agreement, falling into step beside Ryou and Bakura, the rest falling behind.

Why did he have the feeling that surprises for the night weren't over?

* * *

**Note:** I _wonder_ who'll be dancing with Yuugi...

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_

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Special thankies to JK Fie'r for beta-ing this chapter_


	7. What You're Made Of

**A/N**

**Note: **If anyone wants to know the song that I used as inspiration for the one in the story, it was _"Pushing the Sky"_ from Cowboy Bebop. If you want it, you can find it on my website (Homepage link) under _Divine Seraphim's Archives_ next to the puzzle. I'll leave it up until chapter nine, then. (Yay! Over 4000 words! They're getting longer and longer!)

**Note2:** Here ya go, I know you guys have been waiting for this. I hope this chapter earns this story's title. And, as always, please _**review**_!

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DARK PASSIONS

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**Chapter 7****: What You're Made Of**

The overwhelming beat of the base sifting through his body and thrumming in his soul, Yuugi felt a complete sense of content wash over him. He was here, in his element. The dance was what he lived for, what drove him onwards: steps shifting into the next, complicated rhythms echoing through his body as it fought to stay afloat among the many sensations that sought to grasp it.

Oh yes- right here, in the middle of the press of bodies that looked otherworldy in the flashing light -was where he belonged. Yuugi let the feelings and thoughts that plagued him slide off as if they were raindrops in his skin and replaced it with the yearning, the desire, to dance. It called to him, pulling at his soulstrings and pulled at his chest until it almost hurt to breathe. In the darkness of this place, he could afford to let it out, could afford to show how dependant the dance made him.

A sudden flash of moment registered out of the corner of Yuugi's eye and he knew that Ryou was coming to, as well- feeling his own call of the wild, his own primal instincts stir. There was just no denying it, no holding it back.

Both boys stepped forward similtaneously, leaving the rest of the group behind in silence, their movements conveying their feelings. They'd done this many times; the feel of the other's body as familiar as his own.

At one point, they'd even been lovers. Convinced that the familiarity could work outside of these dark and inclosing walls, they'd moved the passions they felt towards each other to the bedroom. And for a time, it _had_ worked; they'd let loose the bottled up desire of dancing with each other, returning everything that was given with a never-ending ferver.

But such things aren't meant to last; nothing can stand upright without a proper foundation and the fall through of their temporary relationship had been done diplomatically and with a mutual respect. And no regrets. After all, they still had their nights in the city, with only each other and the music. And that was enough.

Ryou took a step forward and curved his body towards Yuugi, and those that knew them signaled to the DJ, who nodded in acknowledgment. The night had finally started and the dance had begun.

An expectant silence filled the air as the last track was cut short, leaving only the hum of the people as they awaited the beginning of the next. This was how it was every time when Yuugi or Ryou- usually together -showed up, almost to the point of being ritualized. Choreographed to perfection, memories imprinted with the rhythm that haunted you until it was played again, those that felt the call of the dance had become as much the slaves to the music as Yuugi and Ryou.

Those two were the light, the symbol that every dancer strove to be. But lost in the passion that raced through their veins, they didn't know it. All Yuugi could feel was the power that could be captured just from a raking gaze, a twist in a particular direction, it was enough to drive him mad. Ryou could feel the nights void of the release he sought combining now within his body, almost anticipating when he'd start dancing.

_Dance_...So much more than it was made out to be, an expression that couldn't be conveyed in words and couldn't be told, only shown and felt. It had consumed them both after their first taste, so many years ago.

Against the wall, where Yami had leaned to watch from the shadows, he stirred. There was a faint whisper somewhere deep inside him, but he couldn't hear what it was saying. All he could do was watch as the seemingly frail Da'sara he'd met the other night moved with such fluidity and grace across the floor, confident that the crowd would part before them.

Against the opposite wall slouched Bakura, his piercing gaze locked on the two figures in the middle of the crowd. Nothing could have prepared him for this. Although Ryou had already told him of the past he shared with Yuugi, it didn't even come close to what he was seeing now. The familiarity with which those two moved, the way they knew just how to position themselves in accordance to the other, and the music had yet to start again. Bakura couldn't help a shiver in anticipation; something told him that he was going to enjoy this.

Seto had long ago disappeared, dissolving in what was the people who only came alive beneath the dim lights and pounding music. Something was pleading to him from the inside, the call bright and clear. But he refused to give in, refused to submit under the desires that plagued his body, stirring passions into existence that he'd rather stay dormant. For Seto, questioning Yami would have to wait until another time. With one last backward glance, he slipped back out into the night and impending darkness, blood lust coming awake.

Then. The opening cords of a guitar, at odds with the stilted silence and contorted rhythm, shattered off the walls and broke through the tension that had been building on the dancing floor. And suddenly, the entire floor was plunged into movement that was almost too fast for the eye to follow. Jerked movements flashed in and out of comprehension and vision of the vampire as Yami struggled to keep up.

Eventually, his eyes slowly focused, as did Bakura's, who was more accustomed to such things. And what their eyes beheld was enough to stop breath and forgot all save those dancing.

The other dancers shielded Ryou and Yuugi from full view, only allowing glimpses of a sudden spin or slide, only enough to get an idea of what was happening. A flow, strange and alien, yet comforting just the same, came from the music and into the dance, as if using it as a medium to speak to those watching. And the dancers revelled in being the instruments, throwing themselves whoe-heartedly into it.

The singer's voice brought the music to life then, turning volume and the power behind it up a notch. There was no going back now; the dance had truly begun. The crowd parted; there they were.

For a moment, it was hard to discern where one ended and the other began, so fast were Ryou and Yuugi spinning, skin meeting skin with no inhibition, no forethought. Just action, just the dance, just _them_. And the music came back, louder than before.

Then, it was the repeating melody , springing the dancers into another frenzy, fast and furious. And Ryou and Yuugi. With astonishing precision, they untangled and Ryou threw Yuugi away from him, at the last second pulled him back with one finger.

Fearless eyes flashed on Yami for a moment; a feeling he didn't know thrust itself through him and smoldered in his heart. The vampire shook his head and returned his gaze to the dance, not noticing how he had stood up from the wall and took a small step each time Yuugi traveled closer.

The chorus came around and made the walla vibrate, joining the rhythmic pounding that was the mark of the passage of time. Once out on the dance floor, Bakura knew that you were lost. Dragged into the swirling abiss of passion as dark as the night and as brilliant as the emotions that couldn't be held back, it was inevitable.

The notes twisted somehow, switching from a tone of beginning to one of eternity, longing and something unnameable. And the dancers were aware of this, as they'd been aware and alive under the music the entire time, and switched with it. Speeding up tempos and rotating the steps with which they moved, it was simple perfection.

Yuugi's hand came out and twirled itself through Ryou's hair, pulling him close until their foreheads touched. Ryou narrowed his gaze, suddenly becoming forceful as he dropped a hand to slid across Yuugi's waist, spinning him in one spot, halting Yuugi with his arms almost touching the ground behind him, as he was bent back over backwards.

A flash, an impression of vulnerability overcame the dancer's face, but then he felt Ryou's knee nudge that point of his back and he snapped back up, turning his head to face away from his partner, feeling Ryou's breath as he buried his face in Yuugi's hair for a split second.

No fear or worry shown in either of their faces as they flung themselves about the floor, catching each other at the last second, the last moment before the possibility became the reality. Almost too fast to see, the series of moves, kicks, and spins flashed as they tore through the air and across the floor, flying on swift and terrible wings. The power, the grace...It was almost too much to take in and watch dispassionately, too hard to pretend that it was easy to ignore.

Bakura's breath caught in his throat and he was torn between feeling consuming jealously and soul-wrenching wonder. He didn't know how to feel, how to react to the sight before him. This balance, this perfect combination of feeling, of passion, of the overwhelming power that he could feel eminating from the dancing couple. It was enough to make him want to scream.

Unconsciously, he took another step, but realized to late that this was his last one. Underneath his foot, the dance floor sounded with a hollow thud and before he knew what was happening, he was swept away by the others. The feeling he'd been trying to get rid of all night, the one that wouldn't give him peace, finally exploded outward.

And all he could do was give in, and dance.

The dancers parted once again, making way for the recognized one, greeting with joy the wildness that was Bakura. And all around them, the music could only intensify until it shook every fiber of their being.

Yet this warred with the space being made on the other side of the floor, dancers imploding as the former pharaoh also strode purposefully across the floor and into the thickness of the most dedicated dancers. Some faltered for a split second as they wondered who would try to break into their perfect combination, but it was not in their power to ask- all will given over to the movements that rocked ther bodies. Nor did they want to, this stranger in their midst had power as well, the familiar power that they all submitted to, that called them, although it was dimmed as if long disused.

A pause in the music, a switch of tempos, and Ryou and Yuugi twisted along with it; so passionate had they become, forgetting all that belonged outside their moving bodies. Tthey didn't even notice the presence of two others on opposite sides, waiting for something out of their control.

_Control...Power_. The words and feelings raced along each of their veins and through their blood until their vision narrowed down and it became impossible to see anything, only feel.

_Only feel_...Yami's eyes followed Yuugi as Ryou's hands traveled up his sides, tantilizingly close to some places they shouldn't be, then pulling away while Yuugi followed the movement, his body pleading for more.

Then, it was his turn; Yuugi found himself behind his partner and now his hands were what kept the other boy in an impossible position, one that hurt to try to make sense out of. A small, low moan rumbled up Yuugi's arms from Ryou's throat and he released his hold, flipping Ryou until they faced one another, bodies melding almost into one with the complete familiarity they shared in the dance. It was impossible to be able to do the things they did, otherwise.

Bakura couldn't tear his gaze away, and he couldn't help the slight gasp he made as his arms came up to grasp something invisible in front of him. Shivers raced down his arms and over his fingertips, his vision focused and unfocused, and his feet refused to stay still any longer. A howl, almost animal in its intensity, let loose as he surrendered to the impassioned spirit that called him.

Yami's eyes flashed on the other side of the dancing pair between them as his ears caught Bakura's call, and it shook something else free in his carefully erected defense upon emotions he didn't want to feel. A movement in the corner of his eye and something else snapped within him as he witnessed Yuugi, eyes closed, cradled against Ryou's back for a moment, the complete ecstasy Yuugi was feeling battling the emotionless mask in placeon his face.

And then the last crack in Yami's wall came, when they swept passed where he'd been standing; Yuugi's skin brushed against his and flames erupted where he'd been touched. They continued, spreading and spreading, until they consumed him from the inside out. The urge to free himself rang out in his inner most being, clinging to his muscles and bones until the only thing he _could_ do was concede.

Drawing the knowledge, the power he didn't know he'd had, Yami took a step forward and stretched a hand out, reaching for the human that seemed to burn in his sight. He grasped something; it made the flames consuming his body flame hotter until he couldn't think anymore...Until _he_ couldn't see anymore. _Only feel._

Yuugi ran his hands down the other's sides; he couldn't even force his eyes open to see who he was dancing with. All that he knew at the moment was the supple leather under his fingers and the warmth eminating from the body pressed briefly against his before he was sent spinning outwards again.

Catching the other's hand at the last moment, Yami piveted around and found himself next to his partner once again. Drawing the strength and skill from somewhere long ago and long forgotten, Yami performed the steps almost like they were sacred. Everything had to have a balance, his mind told him. Each thrust needed an equal press, each contriction needed an equal flow.

Power echoed in Yami's body, bouncing off the walls and sending his body into rhythmic spasms the like of which he'd never felt. Somewhere deep within his consciousness he felt the stirrings of even deeper passions, ones he hadn't bothered to feel in over a millennia.

_I've waited too long for this..._

That was the last thought he could manage before the urge to dance rose up and swallowed whatever mind he had left.

* * *

Strangely familiar hands suddenly pinned Ryou's arms behind his back even as he continued to rock to the music, but they were not those of his dancing partner. He let out a small cry that was swept away by the music as he was spun around sharply. 

Brilliant, white hair that almost looked like it was on fire under the shifting lights caught his attention; Ryou's eyes traveled across the pale skin until he reached the dark, captivating gaze of the other. Ryou's breath caught in his throat as he was roughly thrust forward and pressed against him, the other's arms running up his own and leaving phantom sensations in his wake.

_Bakura_...Ryou's eyes were wide as he tried to wrap his mind around what was happening. They'd danced a few times before, but always to a less intense song; it was almost like Bakura feared what might happen should they both unleash what they kept inside during the dance. He furrowed his brow as he realized that today had been the first time Bakura had seen him with Yuugi, the one who he usually danced with.

Something dangerous glinted in Bakura's eyes; it was a challenge, Ryou realized with a start. _So, he wants to dance, does he?_ Ryou observed wryly within his own mind, a playful glint in his own eyes. With a smirk of his own, he lifted his chin and flashed his answer with his own gaze. _Show me what you're made of._

As Bakura realized his challenge had been answered, his grip tightened on Ryou's arms and without warning, he flipped him sideways and behind him, not even sparring a glance to where the lighter dancer had landed.

But Ryou had been ready for the move, he wasn't expecting anything else; there were things to be proven after all, and he wasn't going to lose.

Snapping his neck around, Ryou piveted back towards his partner and placed an arm on both of Bakura's shoulders, lifting off the ground and wrapping his legs for a moment around the taller man's hips. But before he could respond, Ryou swung back and released his hold, satisfied with his work, leaving only a ghostly sensation as his leather passed over Bakura's.

Just as Ryou was about to spin out of the reach of the other, Bakura thrust out an arm with lightening speed and pulled Ryou back to him, bending his head until his warm breath tickled the smaller dancer.

"_Enough..._" His low rumble was enough to send shivers down Ryou's back, and chase away any thoughts to the contrary. Bakura's other arm snaked around his waist and pulled him closer against his chest, leaving Ryou wide-eyed and breathless.

"_I understand, now._" Bakura whispered and lifted his head to stare into Ryou's eyes, swirling with the passion he was feeling. Bakura's gaze slowly traveled lower, following the smooth, delicate skin until they settled on his trembling lips.

Without another word, Bakura descended on Ryou, his mouth successfully cutting off any protests as he glided off the dance floor, Ryou in his arms.

* * *

Yuugi was lost, spinning among the conflicting sensations that wanted him to fall under their spell. He was alive, truly alive. His body moved to a beat outside his own, following direction from somewhere beyond, dancing to please someone else. 

Who that someone was, Yuugi didn't know, and he didn't have the power over his body to find out. Whoever it was, whatever they were doing...If they never stopped, Yuugi thought, it would be too soon. The things the other was producing in Yuugi, it left him gasping for more, coming back to seek the touch he craved.

Vaguely, he wondered of what had become of Ryou, but all thoughts save the dance were quickly being thrust out of his mind to make way for the power racing through his veins. There was a pressure slowly building in the forefront of his mind and becoming more prominant the further he succumbed to the will of his partner.

Yuugi didn't know if that was bad or good, but it was making dancing increasingly more difficult. He was having a harder time concentrating following the lead of the other, making his body respond the way it should. A voice was nagging at the back of his mind, trying to remind him of what he should be doing.

Abruptly, it broke through whatever barrier was stopping it. Yuugi paused for a moment as he realized what it was saying, his movements becoming stiff as he fought the paralysis that had taken hold of him.

_Open your eyes..._

Something was calling him, telling him that he needed to snap out of this euphoria before he was completely washed away. And Yuugi realized that it was not his own voice; it was the voice of another.

_Yuugi...Open your eyes..._

It was more of a command this time. Confusion warred with compliance, and a small part of him wanted to rebell and throw himself further into the dance, lose himself in the hypnotizing movement that wanted to claim him. And yet, the call of this voice within his mind...Yuugi couldn't help but comply.

A sudden strain was thrown on his eyes as he struggled to leave behind the last clinging traces of the dance, and return to the reality that awaited him. Slowly, the dull roar of voices in harmony returned to his ears, his hands found themselves clutching soft leather, and he noticed the first pangs of pain in his muscles.

And then...Yuugi's vision swam into focus, the bright, contrasting colors solidified into definite lines, and movement lessened in its sudden jerks. Abruptly, he froze as a pair of glowing, crimson eyes slowed to a stop in his line of vision. Yuugi's breathing sped up and his shoulders shuddered as he tried to slow his racing thoughts.

_Yami..._

Was this who he had been dancing with? Yuugi needed to only think for a moment before he confirmed it; the fire, still present in this vampire's eyes. was an echo of his own. There was no other possibility; the dominating force that had led him through the most captivating dance he'd ever experienced...Was this one vampire before him.

As around them the crowd continued to dance, Yuugi was suddenly made aware of the position of Yami's arms around his waist. He was pressed against the vampire as Yami's arms tightening around him, drawing him closer still, his eyes shifting color in the light.

Yuugi's breath faltered, getting caught somewhere in his chest as his heart jumped up into his throat. His eyes were opened wide and hypnotized by the powerful gaze of the other. And Yami seemed to be trapped in his own trance, their only movement that of their bodies in time to the music, a slow rock that carried them around in circles.

Someone, somewhere, must have opened a door at that moment, for a chill stole down Yuugi's back as he continued to fall into the endless depths of Yami's gaze; it pulled him always onward, and inward, and Yuugi felt all sense of reason and apprehension drop away to leave nothing but himself behind. For once, Yuugi had no callings, nothing to hide behind and blame for his actions; it was him alone, his thoughts that of his own.

And Yami was left vulnerable as well; never had he felt so open, so exposed. The last place he'd expected to feel this way was with a small, delicate Da'sara...Exactly like the one before him. And stranger still, Yami felt to regrets, no anxiety for being so open, so _free_ of his boundaries.

He was leaning closer, and closer to the human. So close that he could count Yuugi's individual eyelashes, feel every shuddering breath as his chest rose and fell. He traced the faint blush working its way up the human's face as he too realized the decreasing space between the two.

So tantilizingly close, Yami teased him with his warm breath as it brushed Yuugi's skin and hightened his already highstrung senses. They teetered over the edge of an abiss that promised a dangerous fall to the bottom, a bottom that neither could see. Nothing existed beyond the moment flowing into the next, one moment flowing into the other as they moved ever nearer to an unseen goal.

But Yami hesistated, some distant thought speaking of forbidden fruits and barred fantasies, and trying to halt the strange feeling coursing under his skin. The last traces of sanity called him back, frantically pushing him back onto solid ground, where he needn't be afraid of falling into eternity. He pulled back from the human and watched as his eyes fluttered, trying to gain back some of his senses.

What was he doing? What was _Yami_ doing? This was too much; he never should have let it get this far. A panic washed over Yuugi as he almost succumbed to the hynotic gaze of the other a second time. No, this would not do. He had to leave, to gather the last remnants of his wits and flee.

Without another thought, Yuugi tore himself from the vampire's hold and used his momentum to gracefully swing around, half-resembling the dance he'd performed earlier, using his partner's surprise to make good on his getaway. No more of this...This toying with his sanity.

_No more..._

Yuugi threw all the energy he had left into escaping, all thoughts narrowed down to this one goal. Nothing else mattered anymore except finding a sanctuary for his tired soul, a place where he could just let go and surrender to the beckoning darkness.

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Special thankies to JK Fie'r_ _for beta-ing this chapter_


	8. The Way It Is

**A/N**

**Note**: You guys are amazing! I'm so glad you guys like my work enough to review it in the abundance that you have! Hurray for breaking the hundred review mark and going over! Thanks to each and every one of you; you know who you are! (Wheee! Over 3600 words!)

**Note2**: You know the drill. I work hard to write these things, and all you have to do is please **_review_**!

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DARK PASSIONS

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**Ch 8: The Way It Is**

Yami sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time, and continued to stare out into the sea of blinking, colorful lights of the city. Underneath him, the cold stone of the park wall felt uncomfortable, and he shifted again. From this perspective, the teeming mass that was the city almost looked alive. Sounds drifted with the wind and rushed past him; his ears were assaulted by the voices of those enjoying themselves, and he was reminded once again of what he'd been trying to escape for the past hour.

Who knew things would spiral so far out of control? He'd never meant to be dragged in so suddenly with that human, that Da'sara who was a lot more than he seemed. It's not like he was _asking_ for all these problems that made his head spin; if anything, he wanted them fixed and out of his life.

Yami growled; this pathetic merry-go-round of the same thoughts running around in his head was beginning to grate on his last nerves. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so caught unawares and out of control. With a fluid motion, he swung off his perch and into the tangled wilderness that was the untamed park of Domino City.

'_At least this city is good for something_', he thought with satisfaction as he knocked aside yet another branch the size of his middle, with a casual flick of his hand. It was the perfect place to get rid of the pent up frustrations he was feeling very acutely at the moment.

A groan echoed quietly through the misty gloom surrounding the park, as Yami viciously elbowed a tree out of his way and left a large dent in its middle, as well as bending the trunk until it was almost diagonal. He paused for a moment, regarding the unnatural break in the peacefulness of the park that he was envying so much.

And quite suddenly, all the fight went out of him, and he flopped down onto the cool, slightly damp grass near one of the paths. This just was not his day, or his week, for that matter. Hell, it wasn't his century either, if he were to go that far. The sounds of a scuffle reached his ears as he was contemplating doing something he'd regret later, like going to see Bakura, and Yami stood back up, slowly.

An almost predatory grin crossed his face as he made out the humans moving toward him. Apparently, this group was in need of entertainment, almost as much as he was, and Yami knew prey when he saw it. No more than a couple of steps apart, the mist that had been serving as a flimsy screen suddenly parted and the three humans blinked owlishly as they caught sight of Yami. Just as quickly, an answering glint lit their eyes, and one even had the audacity to lick his lips, as they closed in on their supposed helpless prey.

For Yami could look truly inconspicuous when he wanted to, and leaning back against the tree right then, with arms crossed and one leg propped up against the trunk, he looked the part.

"Hey there, buddy," One of the humans called, and to Yami's irritation, that voice grated in his ears.

"Fine night, ain't it?" Another chipped in, while the third just let out a loud snicker and elbowed the second in the side.

Yami sighed and closed his eyes. No matter what he did, things just wouldn't go his way. Even his _prey_ was worthless; what self respecting vampire attacked something that looked like one stray blow from the wind would be enough to finish them? Shaking his head, he opened his eyes and turned to stare up at the sky. He wouldn't bother with these morons; their stupidity would be a much more fitting end.

Spinning on his heel, Yami began walking away, not even deigning to answer the humans, and leaving them gapping in his wake. After a moment, one of them gathered his brains. "W-where do you think you're going?" he shouted after the vampire.

Still getting no response, the three turned to one another, and shrugged their shoulders.

The next second, Yami wasn't surprised to feel a heavy hand land on his shoulder; he'd sensed it with his enhanced vampiric senses. He really didn't want to pursue anything with these exact mortals tonight, but if they were going to be persistent...A lesson was in order.

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Yuugi felt sluggish. It wasn't that he was moving so slowly as to be mistaken for one, but his mind had become so weighed down with all of its weary thoughts that he'd just shut everything off, with the result of his limbs becoming limp and unresponding. 

Not that he minded, in any case. For once, Yuugi was enjoying the peace he'd been seeking for the past couple of days, ever since meeting that blasted vampire. Not that he could remember any of that at the moment; he was simply floating somewhere in a sense of weightlessness, his thought process almost non-existent. '_...Wazza Vampire?_'

But as bliss is only attainable for very limited amounts of time, inevitably, Yuugi could already feel awareness returning to his mind. He could feel the gradual sense of alertness coming awake in every one of his limbs, and in a last attempt to stave off full awareness; he traced this coming to of his limbs with an absurd absorption.

From his toes, the sensation of feeling traveled up his legs, and while some of it pooled in his stomach, the rest continued to make its way of spine, pleasantly tingling along the way. Almost apologetically, he felt awareness return to the sensitive skin of his chest and neck, until only his head was left unaffected, as if it were rising above water. With a sigh, he felt the imaginary water slowly rise and suddenly, he could once again feel the misty air brushing over his cheeks and getting caught on his eyelids, leaving wet trails down the sides of his face that disappearing into his hair.

The last thing that came back to him was his hearing. As if a balloon had been suddenly popped, Yuugi felt the return of the reassuring night sounds of the park around him. The thicket that hid him from view of the park's path was gently swaying in the breeze, and overhead, the mist was starting to settle, leaving a sense of cleanliness in its wake.

With a grunt, Yuugi propped himself up on his elbows, and let out the memories he'd been trying to hold back. Images of what he'd done since leaving the club flashed through his mind; his eyelids flickered under the speed with which he recounted everything: how he'd run nonstop for what had seemed like hours until all feeling had gone from his limbs, and his breath only came in gasps. How he'd stopped caring where he was as long as it was away from where he'd been.

Eventually, he'd made it here to this spot, in the one place he felt more safe than at home; there was just something about this park that spoke to him, and called him back from the vast towers of concrete in the city. Which is why he found himself in this light daze, lying in the middle of a damp clearing surrounded by his favorite plants, and battling the conflicting emotions he felt.

'_Wait_', something didn't fit in with the rest of the little sounds Yuugi was used to hearing so late at night. They almost sounded like, '_Voices?_'

Yes, now that he'd caught the sound, it was clearer to discern between them and everything else. Curiosity was what drove him to his feet, and before he knew what he was doing, Yuugi had stepped through the bushes and onto the path.

He blinked in the sudden absence of greenery around him, and shuffled a step forward until he felt the solid path beneath him. Yuugi's vision came back a second later, and he froze as he took in the sight before him.

Yami- _Yami- _was just walking away from where he'd been leaning against a tree, and three other people, street punks from the look of it, were closing in on him on all sides. A sudden, almost painful panic overtook Yuugi right then, and he just stopped thinking. He dived forward.

What happened next, Yuugi would swear was just an accident, and at least for a little while, he would think it a one-time incident. But Yami would testify otherwise.

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'_Bright...So bright_,' Yami could have sworn that his eyes had just been burnt off and there was no hope of regrowing them this time, had he not seen this but once before. '_What? Who's causing this?_' 

Forcing his eyes open against the bright, white light he was enveloped in, Yami brought down a shield over his eyes; thanks to his vampiric side, this was the equivalent of putting on sunglasses. Narrowing his eyes even further against the light that still penetrated his shield, Yami searched the space around him for the source.

'_There_,' without a second thought, he dived, desperate for a way to turn off the all-consuming light. Yami closed his eyes again as he neared an even brighter and whiter light, if that was possible. His fingers brushed against something that felt strangely familiar. '_What?_' He caught it and brought his other hand up to grab it, too.

As if time had been fast-forwarded for the next moment, Yami could only remember landing on the damp grass with something- no, some_one- _in his arms.

No words could express the shock Yami felt upon seeing that who he had in his hold was none other than the human who'd been tormenting his every thought ever since he'd met him. '_Yuugi...'_

Then, he remembered the thugs from earlier. Yami's hunter's gaze scanned the immediate area, already positioning his body to be ready to attack should the other humans decide to pursue him. But...They were gone. No sign, no trace, nothing was left to show that they'd even been in the park. As Yami continued to look around, his mind worked frantically to put a name and past to what he'd just witnessed.

And with a painful gasp, he realized what it was. But as he felt Yuugi stir beneath him, his eyes traveled downwards once again, and settled on the human's face, all other thoughts forgotten.

The vampire watched as Yuugi's eyes fluttered open and focused up on the being looking down on him. And then...

"Aw, _hell_ no!" With a quick upward thrust, Yuugi caught Yami off guard and pushed the vampire off. No, the poor vampire was currently trying to process why anyone would not want to see him, let alone _tell_ him that.

Of course, Bakura always balked at seeing him (and Yami returned the feeling), but they never reacted so violently to each other's presence. Nor would Seto let his emotions take such a hold over his actions; far be it for the CEO to become even slightly flustered. Come to think of it, not _one_ of the vampires he did or did not know would have the audacity to openly express disgust, or whatever it was the human was feeling- especially over him.

Where did this human get _off_? Yami opened his mouth in indignation, all pretenses of being superior forgotten. "_Excuse_ me? What do you mean 'Hell no'?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," Yuugi replied as he jumped to his feet and brushed off his pants. "We'll have no more of this. I did not come here to be followed by you."

And with that, Yuugi set off determinedly down the path toward the exit, his fists clenched self-consciously at his sides.

No one, not one being- be it human, vampire, or otherwise- had ever gotten away with anything even _half_ of what Yuugi had just done, and Yami just wasn't going to stand for it.

He jumped up as well, and ran after Yuugi, fully intent on making _Yuugi_ eat those words...Why was it so hard to say his name and a not-exactly-nice thought in the same sentence? Yami shook his head and sprinted the last few feet to the human, who was determinedly trying to ignore him; it wasn't working.

"Followed? By _me_? _Followed_? Just _what_ are you talking about?" Yami was almost at his rope's end, and he didn't even know what had gotten him started. All he _did_ know was that having this human not like him rubbed him the wrong way.

"Leave me alone," was the terse reply the vampire got, and he just wasn't happy with it. Then, a thought struck him, and he grinned slyly.

"Don't you want to know more about what just happened? Hmmm?" Yuugi stopped short; he knew he was being baited, but he didn't care. He just wanted the questions going round in his head to stop, and if this infuriating vampire could answer even some of them...Well, that was all the better.

"Well?" The vampire taunted, his arms crossed over his chest, and a smirk on his face.

"Tell me."

It was a command, the most recent one of many in just the last ten minutes. Yami barely held back a growl; this still wasn't going his way. What was with the world today that it couldn't give him a break, even a tiny one?

So, the vampire replied with a command of his own, "Sit."

Yuugi raised an eyebrow, and crossed his own arms. "I'm not just going to assume you don't want anything in return."

_'Damnit_,' Yami narrowed his eyes. "And what makes you say that?"

"The fact that you're tapping your foot impatiently, and not five minutes ago, you were falling all over yourself to get me to stay."

"Damn," Yami muttered, before what Yuugi had said registered. "I did nothing of the sort! You take that back!"

"So, those are your demands, then?" Yuugi grinned as the vampire realized he'd been out-worded. For the first time in his life. _'Ra? Why do you hate me?'_

After a couple more minutes of silence between the two as Yami thought everything over, the vampire ran a hand through his hair and turned his gaze back on Yuugi. "If I tell you what you want to know, will you tell _me_ why you- tell me something in return?"

Yuugi only replied with a sigh and surrendered, plopping down on the nearest bench and watched as Yami took a place next to him, as graceful as a cat. Yuugi scowled.

Yami sent him a look and coughed quietly, "This might take a while."

"_Tell me_," Yuugi pressed. Why did things like this always happen to him? He could already feel the beginnings of panic set in, a building pressure in the front of his mind. Why couldn't he just be normal? He snorted, '_Normal? Since when have I_ ever _been normal?_'

'_I don't know. When have you?_'

Yuugi let out an involuntary shriek and was about to fall backwards off the bench, when Yami caught him at the last second and pulled him back up.

"You...You...How _dare_ you?" Yuugi was livid. It wasn't panic that he had felt; it was the vampire slipping through his natural mind barrier. "What gives you the right to go swirling about in my brain?"

Yami looked taken aback. "Well, you got so quiet all of a sudden and...I was curious."

He finished with a shrug; he'd had just taken the lack of resistance as acquiescence. How was he supposed to know the human would get so touchy about it? "What's the problem? Vampires did it all the time as a kind of greeting, exchanging information which replaces the need for small talk and long, drawn-out stories. And believe me, when some ancient geezer feels like sharing his life story, this sure comes in handy."

Yuugi just stared. Yami honestly did not know what he'd been doing, did he? '_Ye gods...Hello?_' Yuugi called out into his mind, checking to make sure that the vampire really was gone. "_Hel-lo?_"

'_Yes?_'

Yuugi let out yet another shriek. "What do you mean 'yes'? What are you still doing in my mind?"

The vampire blinked, "I wasn't! You pulled me in when you called me!"

"I did no such thing!" Yuugi was almost hysterical now. "Get out, and _stay _out!"

He jumped off the bench and whirled around in search of the exit. What he didn't take into account was his momentum, which carried him full-circle and deposited him right in Yami's lap. Both human and vampire blinked.

Then...

"Let go! I said, let _go_!" Yuugi began struggling against the vampire's grip, who had a tight hold around the human's waist and was leaning back and away from Yuugi's flailing limbs. "What are you doing? Let me _go_!"

"Oh no, not until I've had my say," Yami suddenly brought his face close to Yuugi's, and lowered his voice to a hissing whisper. "What makes you think that you can act the way you do towards me? What makes you _think_ that you can get away with disrespecting me this way? I am the prince of the Underworld; I rule that which is superior to you in every way. So tell me," He leaned back, "What would you, the most frail and helpless Da'sara I've seen yet, be doing with the power of Eclipse?"

Yuugi stopped moving. "Is that what it is?" He narrowed his eyes, "Why couldn't you have just told me that before?"

"Because you wouldn't let me!" He unconsciously tightened his hold on Yuugi. "You are so _infuriating_. I have no idea why I haven't killed you yet!"

Yami had intended this to be a threat of sorts, something to remind this human that he was on thin ice. Instead, Yuugi took this as in insult, so much so, that his own anger rose in challenge.

"I'm not the one who keeps popping into other people's mind periodically to say hello."

"I _told_ you: it wasn't my fault!" Something sparked and connected in his mind. '_He came from that thicket earlier_...'

"_You, _little human, were the one moping around in the bushes before. What, did you think the plants would lend a sympathetic ear?"

Yuugi's mouth dropped open in shock and indignation. "What I was doing is none of your business! Do you hear me?"

But he got no response. Yami just leaned back and fell silent, his mind churning. He just couldn't believe it: Here he was, fighting with a _human_...And he was actually enjoying it. Not that the same could be said for Yuugi; he had twisted his head to the side, hampered by the vampire's grip as he was, and was currently pouting at the sakura tree across the path.

Yami could barely suppress the chuckle working its way up his throat; Yuugi looked the picture of the little boy who'd not gotten his candy.

"Hey you, Yami. You pondering the meaning of life?"

Yami winced slightly; Yuugi's mouth sure wasn't small, or even innocent, for that matter. '_I swear, the only other person half as loud was Jou...And he hasn't been around for about two hundred years now._'

And with that thought, any slight joy he'd been feeling disappeared as he remembered Seto's time withstanding grief and the reason for it.

'_Jou..._' The love that had existed between Seto and Jou had been so full of passion, full of joy, full of life...The romance that had developed between those two vampires had become legend in the underworld they lived in, a legend that lived on even now, several hundred years past.

No one could possibly fathom the pain that Seto had experienced when Jou had suddenly died an unnatural death, save for Seto himself. And it hadn't just affected him; the farthest reaches of the underground network had faltered when news had reached them of his passing away. '_He was so kind...He was so good to us all_.'

Jou's death was the cause of Seto closing off his emotions now; the scars over his heart just went too deep for anything else. A memory floated through Yami's mind and he couldn't help the shudder that went across his shoulders.

The one time that Seto had opened himself long enough to talk about his past lover, he'd said that being so close to Jou had been like staring into the sun: "_You know it's going to hurt you sooner or later, but you'd rather keep looking and reaching for it, just one more second, because it's so beautiful..._"

"Come on," Yami stood up, Yuugi still in his arms. His expression was unreadable. "I'll take you home."

Yuugi nodded silently. He understood now was not the time for confrontations, not with Yami's defenses so weak. Something was affecting him, some memory. And Yuugi was surprised to find that he wanted to know what it was...And stop the hurt he could see so plainly on Yami's face.

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Special thankies to JK Fie'r for beta-ing this chapter_


	9. Memories on the Wind

**A/N**

**Note**: "Pushing the Sky" has been taken off my website as of this chapter. Please visit and check out my awesome media page! -End shameless plug- In other news: Oh wow! That was an amazing review response to the last chapter! I loved each and every one of your reviews, especially the ones that addressed the fanfic's specific points. It's nice to know my writing has the power to move your emotions.

Let's see, this chappie is slightly sad-ish material, so...be warned. Hopefully, the end makes up for it. xD

**Note2**: Oh, you guys! Do you think I'm that mean to _not_ put Jou in the story? Don't worry! I know exactly how our favorite mutt is going to come into the fic...But keep in mind that this story is partially-titled 'Dark' for a reason, and inner turmoil and struggles are part of it. And love won't come so easy, either. It's there, hiding in between their other emotions, but it won't come so fast yet. So, please **_review_** and tell me how I'm doing!

**Note3**: I'd like to take a moment to say thanks to Princess Nefertari AKA Krysta for dedicating the latest chapter of her _amazing_ story, Moonlit Waters, that I'm sure most of you have heard of, to me! So, I want to dedicate this chapter to her in return! Thanks, Nefertari-chan! xD

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DARK PASSIONS

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**Ch 9: Memories on the Wind**

"Why am I telling you this, anyway?" Yami leaned back again in his seat, and allowed his gaze to travel around the room. It looked lived-in, he could gather that much, but it all looked so unfamiliar. While the Da'sara liked to decorate the walls and shelves with things they were attached to, vampires felt no such pull towards objects.

In a vampire's home, almost always temporary because of their nomadic nature, everything was kept to a bare minimum, so the number of things Yuugi kept was puzzling and though he'd never admit it, overpowering. After all, Yami had never spent time in a human's home, not since his days in ancient Egypt. '_And things change a lot in five thousand years_,' he commented to himself dryly.

"Because you need to," Yuugi finally replied to his earlier question, his voice quiet and subdued for once. Something was different about him, Yami realized. Was he trying to be...helpful?

'_No..._' His mind immediately refused that idea. '_Since when has he been even the least bit helpful?_'

What was he doing here, in this human's home? Yami mentally berated himself while Yuugi calmly looked on, watching the inner struggle unusually displayed across Yami's face. The vampire couldn't remember the last time he'd actually put his guard down, but around Yuugi...Somehow, it just came naturally.

Even through the haze of his conflicting thoughts, Yami had managed to flit to where he'd left Yuugi the first time they'd met. But before he'd been able to leave, Yuugi had latched onto his arm, a determined look on his face, and actually _demanded_ that Yami come in with him so they "could talk", a situation made quite ironic by how he'd refused the vampire's 'attempts' at conversation earlier.

During the time, it had seemed more like a threat, but Yami had found him self quite unable to resist the puppy-dog look on Yuugi's face. His mind had immediately connected it with how Jou used to do the same thing to him, and before he knew it, Yami was sitting in Yuugi's kitchen across from him.

"Where to start?"

"...How about the beginning?"

He sighed, "As good a place as any, I suppose."

"What's wrong?"

"I...I've never told this before." Yami let out a deep sigh and leaned forward again, resting his elbows in the table.

Yuugi was unusually reserved, a fact that did not go unnoticed. "I understand. I know what it feels like, to lose someone who was important to you."

"Then, you should understand when I say that Jou was like the sun..."

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_Yami awoke to the sounds of rustling coming from the next room. Without even opening his eyes, he sent out his mind and reached his intended target. Even this early, he could feel his lips turning up in a familiar smirk. Quietly reaching with his mind, the vampire extended a thought-tendril and poked the part of the other's mind barrier that he knew was ticklish._

_"Ai!" The 'intruder' yelped, and the sound of something metal hitting the floor resounded in Yami's ears, making him wince. The next moment, Jou walked into his room, rubbing the back of his head, and leaned heavily against one of the four, tall bedposts that held up the canopy over Yami's bed._

_"Now what was that for, Oh Great One?"_

_"I do not appreciate the pilfering of my kitchen, even from you, Jounouchi Katsuya," Yami replied evenly, his eyes still firmly shut._

_But Jou gaped indignantly. "What do you mean 'pilfering'? You don't even eat that food! You just go to all those fancy-pants restaurants with the ever-optimistic Azura or that dear lover of mine."_

_"Have you seen either of them, by the way?"_

_"...Seto? No, he was up and about even before me today. That's strange, but what's stranger is that he actually left a _note_. Since when has he found time to gather enough bits of his scattered brain to be able to write coherent sentences?" _

_Yami chuckled and raised a hand to run through his hair. "I don't know; you tell me. How long have you two been together now?"_

_Jou frowned as he remembered. "Well, not counting the time he almost blew me up, we've been together about four centuries. Our anniversary's coming up..." He paused as he began counting in his head again for the date._

_"And in all that time, you still can't remember the two dates that Seto remembers to leave you a note?"_

_Jou just looked at him in confusion. "Eh..."_

_Yami decided to drop the subject; it wouldn't do to have the missing vampire livid because his boyfriend's surprise has been spoiled. Although, Yami was still completely mystified as to how Jou managed to stay clueless every single year, on both occasions; he had no problem remembering _other_ important dates but this managed to surprise him every time._

_"And Azura? Have you seen her?"_

_Jou snorted, and by the tremors racing across the bed and up Yami's bedcovers, he inferred that Jou was trying to hold back a laugh._

_"Out with it then, Jou. What is it _now?"

_"Oh, you should have seen her, Yami. She was actually trying to get a treaty with the Elves. The _Elves_!" He paused for breath, and the laugh he'd been holding back let loose. In between, he managed, "Firstly, they live practically on the other side of the world. Do you think they even care about signed a treaty with a bunch of 'self-important, pompous vampires' when all we seem to do is 'drink, drink and drink that vile, disgusting blood-thing...And party'?_

_"And everyone knows they party way harder than we do! What, with there three thousand-year-old wineries, and drinking games. You'd think we're _tame_ compared to them! Oh, you should have seen Azura's face..."_

_Yami could feel the edges of an insane giggle surfacing as well, and clamped down on it before he really let go. "Are those quotes from their reply, then?"_

_"What? Oh yeah, they are. Oh Ra, that's all I managed to read before she took it back from me. I should go find it again..." He trailed off as a plan began to formulate in his mind._

_"I see you've been talking to Bakura again." Yami observed._

_"No..." Jou stalled, for he knew that all Yami had to do was check in his most recent memories and find out; Unfortunately, he'd never become quite good at hiding anything from his close friends. Maybe that was something else Bakura could teach him while he was at it..._

_"Ah-ha! I knew it!" Yami exclaimed with glee as Jou accidentally pushed out '_Bakura_' from under his guard. _

_"Ya-mi..." Jou drew out the word and made the puppy-dog eyes he was famous for; even though he knew Yami couldn't see him at the moment, he knew how it managed to make Yami drop the subject every time. And it didn't fail to produce the same results this time, either._

_"Oh, fine. Ra knows what Bakura's teaching you...I'll just leave Seto to deal with you in his own _special_ way." Yami smiled. Although his eyes had remained closed throughout their entire conversation, he knew exactly what expressions were going across Jou's face and how he was feeling. But sometimes, a vampire just needed his sleep. "Now, go away, Jou. I'm tired."_

_"What? Still? But you've slept all day and now it's past nightfall! How much to you need to _sleep?"

_"Well," Yami grinned slyly, "I _would_ have slept all that time, except I was kept awake all day by _someone's_ screams and moans next door. Not to mention all the furniture you guys were moving around and...breaking, I think. What were you doing, having a belated spring-cleaning?" _

_It didn't take a genius to know that Jou was blushing furiously. "I...Well, I'll have you know...That...Enjoy your rest, Yami."_

_Yami sighed in content. Sleep was good...Embarrassing Jou? Even better._

_"We'll be seeing you later, though. You didn't forget that tonight was your turn to do the Telling, did you?"_

_Yami let out a groan as Jou closed the door after himself, laughing all the way down to the downstairs theater.

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"So, he was a good friend then?" Yuugi tried tentatively, conscious of the strange mood the vampire was in that allowed him to be this straight-forward for once.

Both he and Yami had somehow moved from the slightly cold and stifling atmosphere of the kitchen to the comforts of his living room. And now, as Yami finished telling him about one of his times spent with Jou, he had fallen into a sort of trance that Yuugi was reluctant to break.

But as the human spoke, Yami's eyes flashed and his voice came out gruff but sure. "He was one of my _only_ friends," More quietly he spoke again, "In my whole life..."

"I see," Yuugi confirmed, quieter still. Somehow, he hadn't expected this pang of jealousy from hearing Yami speak this way. It just didn't make any sense. To take his mind off the matter, he said the first thing he could think of, "What's a Telling?"

And Yuugi was surprised to see a half-smile playing about Yami's lips. As his gaze settled back on Yuugi, he opened his mind again and enveloped the both of them in his memories.

* * *

_Yami stepped through the double doors and stopped as he surveyed the turn-out, a much higher number than usual. He shook his head, but couldn't help the grin that spread over his features. "Jou..."_

_"Yes?" A seemingly innocent voice called from somewhere to his right. Yami turned to see Jou himself leaning against the wall with Seto's arms wrapped tightly around him from behind. The taller vampire paid Yami no attention but searched the gathering crowd for something or someone._

_"Jou..." Yami's reproachful tone would have held more meaning had he not been sporting such a smug grin. "You brought in the entire city this time!"_

_"Well, I can't help it. All it took was an off-hand comment that you were the one doing it tonight and before I knew it...Everyone wanted to come! They do love you so, Yami." Jou finished with a teasing grin._

_"Don't you think the hunters are going to notice something's up?"_

_"Of course not!" Jou exclaimed, "Remember the time we crashed _their_ parties? They just thought we were the Thirteenth division!"_

_Seto's attention was caught by that remark and he turned his gaze down on his lover. "Jou..." His voice was curious, yet held a slightly threatening edge to it as well. "'Thirteenth Division'? You mean the one that you and I took down a couple of months ago?"_

_"Well," Jou let out a nervous giggle while Yami looked on, an amused eyebrow raised. "You know what they say: You are what you eat!"_

_Both Yami and Seto let out an exasperated groan. _

_"That is the lamest excuse I have _ever_ heard," Yami remarked, but before Seto could reprimand them both, Azura stepped onto the makeshift stage next to the piano and called everyone to attention._

_Her dark blue hair flickered in the light of the chandelier hanging over them all, and even from where the trio stood, they could see that she wasn't in the best of moods. As such, when her eyes flashed dangerously, the rest of the audience had the wisdom (and a few had the first-hand experience) to know that it was time to quiet down._

_"And that's your cue," Seto commented to Yami, while subtly pinning his boyfriend's arms to his sides and as they watched Yami leave, moving them to a darker corner of the room. Perhaps, a little..._lesson_, was in order._

_Yami walked calmly to where Azura had been moments before and took his place beside the piano, all conversation non-existant. After a moment's thought, he took a seat beside the piano, and closing his eyes, opened the part of his mind that he wished to broadcast tonight._

_The Telling...It was a way to prevent all those creatures of the night from losing their human aspects. It was, essentially, what kept them human, and in some cases, even sane. And while all of those present could broadcast their mind as well, no one could do as good a job, and on such a wide range, as vampires. Maybe it was because they were the most in touch with what made them human, or something else, but the task had been somehow appointed to them to make sure that the Da'k, the people of the night, did not stray too far from the path they walked._

_"What's on the list tonight?" Azura asked him quietly as she stood behind him, ready to offer assistance if needed._

_"Egypt..." The word seemed to leap from his lips and engulf them all in a grip that sent them spinning through time. And somewhere, through the scenes displayed so vividly in each being's mind, the piano began to sing under Yami's hands._

_Everyone in the room, whether they'd come out of curiosity or were long-time attendees, felt the undertow of emotions that flowed from his mind to theirs, the memories of a vampire who'd been around to watch a civilization rise and fall: his own civilization._

_It was Egypt. It was the tang of sand on their tongue, and it was the heat of the sun on their skin, as it was the playful freedom of the wind whistling through their hair. The Nile rising with the yearly flood brought joy to their hearts, and the droughts and famines brought tears through their eyes._

_And yet, nothing could prepare them for the sight of the Pharaoh's palace. It was majesty incarnate; and it was all of Egypt, everything that made it what it was, all unified in that which was the Pharaoh. He, who stood before them tonight as a vampire, a survivor of the ages, had been that Pharaoh, and his own memories of his life were the sweetest. And throughout this Telling, the piano continued its lament._

_It felt like centuries later when Yami at last finished the Telling and stood from the piano, leaving those in attendance to come back to themselves on their own. He just felt too drained to stay for idle talk, or even the usual greetings that would be expected of him. '_I guess that took more out of me than I thought it would.'

_He made his way through the throng of slightly dazed people towards the back wall, where last he'd seen Seto and Jou. Of everyone there, they would understand what he was feeling right now, as they were probably feeling it themselves. A moment later, he finally found them: Jou slumped against the wall, head down, and Seto not doing much better, standing next to him looking completely exhausted._

_"How was it?" It was a lame question, and Yami knew it. But nevertheless, it silently conveyed everything he wanted but couldn't ask at the moment. _

_"I'd almost forgotten," Jou suddenly spoke and startled both of the other vampires, but he didn't lift his head. "I'd almost forgotten what it had been like."_

_Suddenly, he looked up at the both of them, and they realized that he'd been hiding tears. His expression was enough to make Seto catch his breath and move forward, but as he did so, Jou spoke again._

_"Does it make be a bad person? If I can't remember my prelife very well?"_

_"No," Yami found himself answering. "I didn't remember mine either. I...I think I lost it at the start of the millennium, and it has only been in the last hundred years or so that I got my memory back."_

_Seto also spoke up. "Every single one of us has been through that. It's not right that we should suffer for becoming what we are with our memories, not everyone was made willingly." He said this last part with a trace of bitterness, but Yami could see it was fading now. There _had_ been a time when Seto hated what he was, but it was long passed now._

_"Did you forget too, Seto?" Jou asked in a small voice, his expression so fragile that Seto had trouble replying for a moment._

_"Yes," he finally managed in something barely above a whisper, "I lost it almost as soon as I became what I am. I think it was more a natural reaction than anything else; you see, I didn't willingly choose to become a vampire, so it would have been painful to have to deal with that at first, on top of everything else."_

_"Why didn't you tell me before?" Jou replied in as much of a whisper._

_Yami tuned the conversation out at this point as he turned back to the crowd. Whether they wanted to or not, now was not the time to be discussing such things, especially in such a place with so many people. He did trust the folk of the underworld, but right now, their concern and wish to help would on get in Jou and Seto's way rather than help them._

_He turned back to the couple to watch Seto pick up Jou in his arms, so he led them out and managed to deflect any immediate inquiries sent their way. There would be time for the later, if Jou or Seto so wished.

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"So you didn't have your memory for a time?" Once again, Yuugi was afraid to break the silence.

"I was close to death. There really wasn't anything else they could do, so when the chance presented itself, my priests seized it."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be; It's not so terrible, after all. And my priests only wanted what was best for me."

"Still..."Yuugi was quiet, trying to assimilate so much information in such a small time. To experience it as if he had been actually there...Now _that_ was a trip.

He was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by Yami's pained groan. As the vampire leaned back on the sofa, he misjudged the distance and unexpectedly found himself staring at the ceiling as he lay across the seats, his head suddenly in Yuugi's lap. Then,Yami found himself staring into concerned eyes as they looked over him in assessment.

"What's wrong?" Yuugi asked, concerned.

"I just pushed the limits of my mind a bit too far." Yami answered, as his eyes refused to listen to the rest of his body and closed of their own accord. "I..should have visited the Spell Witch before I went out."

"Oh, is _that_ all?" Yuugi confirmed dryly, back to his usual self. "And how would one manage to do that?"

"By being forced to share my history with a noisy Da'sara," Yami's voice was faint. Possibly forgetting himself, he suddenly turned and burrowed his face in Yuugi's middle, who couldn't help but let out a gasp, and blush crimson.

"Mmm," Yami mumbled into the fabric of Yuugi's shirt. "Smells good."

But Yami didn't seem to notice the discomfort he was causing, and the next moment, his light breathing reached the human's ears and he gave up his futile struggle to get lose.

'_What else can I do?_' Yuugi thought as he got himself comfortable underneath the vampire and relaxed. '_Guess I'm here till morning...Wait a minute,_' He suddenly realized. '_Vampires sleep during the day! Ah! I'll be here a long while, then..._'

Yuugi tried to feel reluctant and frustrated by this thought. Really, he did. But somehow, he couldn't hold back the smile working its way onto his face, and the warm feelings beginning to grow inside.

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Special thankies to JK Fie'r for beta-ing this chapter_


	10. Hit the Mark

**A/N**

**Note**: Okay then! Out of the sadness and into the intriguing! And those of you who might have an idea as to how Jou comes back..Well, he has to die first! (Heh...heh) Aw, poor Jou! Oh, and when Yami called Yuugi 'little', it's not as in physically (For Yuugi's grown quite a bit, and isn't the shorty that he used to be xD), but that Yami thinks himself superior, and more powerful than Yuugi.

And I'm kind of in a writer's block. Actually, it's more of a lethargy that keeps me from writing all the parts of the chapter. So, if you're reading this and want more, BITCH ME BACK TO WORK! Sorry, this is a bit shorter than usual. And I'm currently working on a visual of the Mark (explained in this chapter). It should be up by next chapter!

One last thing: I want to send out a quick shout-out to Polarstern. Wow, I've never had an actual German reviewer before! I'm honored to be the only English writer on your faves list! Thank you!

**Note2**: Please _**review**_ and tell me if you enjoyed it!

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****DARK PASSIONS

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**Ch10: Hit the Mark  
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Yuugi awoke feeling incredibly relaxed and sated for the first time in what felt like years. Who cared that he'd slept on the couch? Who cared that he was still wearing his clothes? Who cared that there was a vampire in his house- wait a minute.

'_Where's Yami?_'

"And the human awakes..." Yami's voice was melodious and amused as he spoke into Yuugi's ear. In truth, the vampire had only woken up only an hour ago to the shock of finding himself using the human as a pillow, but Yuugi didn't need to know that.

"What prophecies is he going to speak today?" Yami mused jokingly, "Did you know that you've slept even longer than me? Let me put it simply: You've slept the entire day; the sun's gone up...And now it's gone down again."

Still no reply, he turned slightly serious. "You aren't going to tell me to shove off again, are you?"

At that moment, Yuugi let out a huge cat-like yawn, and slowly opened his eyes to stare into those of the vampire who surprisingly, hadn't left his home yet. The human opened his mouth, "I'm hungry."

An hour, five bowls of cereal, two full glasses of orange juice, and three pieces of toast later, Yuugi was ready to greet the world and Yami was contemplating leaving it. He sat in the kitchen chair with shock displayed clearly across his face while Yuugi tried to hold back the grin that was worming its way out.

'_How can one _human_ eat so much?_' Yami's mind was whirring, trying to figure out the logistics of such a thought. '_It's not even technically his breakfast time._'

"-right Yami?...Yami?"

Said vampire realized that Yuugi had been trying to get his attention for the past minute, and so shifted his attention accordingly. "Hmmm?"

"You do know you owe me an explanation, right?" Yuugi was skeptical, and it seeped into his voice. "For the 'power' I seem to possess, which you didn't get to yesterday before you gave out on me- which, by the way, I think also deserves an explanation- and the fact that _you_ haven't left yet."

"Do you want me to leave?" Yami teased, knowing full-well what Yuugi's reaction would be.

"No!" Yuugi steamed, his frustration overlapping everything else. "Not until you tell me _what is going on._"

"Well, what should I explain first?" Yami continued to push the limits of Yuugi's patience. He couldn't help it; it was just too fun. "You've given me so much to choose from!"

Yuugi let out a low growl before he abruptly shifted moods and the vampire found himself staring into eyes that glinted dangerously. '_Uh-oh, I think he put two and two together_.'

"As I remember, I can call you into my mind when I actually 'call' you. And last night, you gave out because you...over-extended your mind, for lack of a better word." Yuugi grinned ferally. "Care to try an experiment?"

'_Well, he put half and half together...But that's good, for a human_.' Yami sighed inwardly in relief. He quickly schooled his expression into one of amused compliance so Yuugi wouldn't get the wrong idea, and continued.

"You want to know why you possess such power as that of Eclipse?" He leaned back even as Yuugi moved forward, suddenly all ears. "Well, to tell the truth, I don't know."

Yuugi deflated, but before that snappy attitude could assert itself, Yami continued. "What I do know is that without the proper spells and protections of a Spell Witch, you'll probably be dead in only a couple of days' time."

"W-w...What?" Yuugi blinked, processing the information. "I don't believe it. It's not true."

"But it is, little human," Yami grinned lazily, his eyes glinting in the light. "Accept it."

"Why would I be dead? I haven't done anything!"

"Oh, but you have," Yami paused as he tried to recall the specific circumstances of the only other time he'd witnessed such power, his brow furrowing. "With that blast that you performed yesterday, you not only sent those thugs to the other side of the world- oh dear, what a nasty shock to them when they realize it- but you also called yourself to attention to every single creature of the night in a twenty-mile radius."

"...What?" Yuugi asked again, but this time, it was more a general response to the vampire's answers than anything else.

"That's right. And power is coveted by even the highest in the underground anarchy. Power such as yours." He eyed Yuugi as the human began to fiddle with the silver bands on his wrists that he'd put on before breakfast. "You will be hunted."

More quiet still, a whisper to himself, "Just like we have been."

Yuugi glanced up at that, watching the vampire in confusion. "I see." He paused nervously. "What do I have to do to find a Spell Witch?"

"Ah, well that is simple!" Yami's good mood was back again, and he answered with humor. "Through the underground network, here in your city, you'll look for her using her name as your only clue. Traversing untrustworthy bars and almost criminal surroundings, you'll be in the throes of danger..."

Yuugi swallowed hard.

"But don't worry! I'll be going with you! It just so happens that I need to pay her a visit as well!"

Immediately, Yuugi felt his temper rise again. "And you didn't tell me this before, _why_?"

But the vampire was ready for him this time; all there previous arguments had taught him a lesson, if anything. Yuugi liked a good fight; underneath that temper, he just liked a good challenge, a good game in other words. '_Well, it just so happens that I like a good game, myself_.'

"Because you didn't ask, of course," The vampire stated. "And how could anyone expect a scrawny, little human such as yourself to survive in _my_ world?"

"Excuse me?" Yuugi interrupted indignantly. "I think I could do a better job than most people you'll ever meet! Oh hell, I'll pick this city apart brick by brick if it'll get me that Spell Witch and someplace safe!"

Yami paused, regarding the human behind eyes that laughed with an '_I win_'. He suddenly grinned. "And that was the commitment I was looking for. Now, I shall have no doubts that you'll do just that."

"But," Yuugi sputtered, "What? I never said anything!"

Yami chuckled knowingly. "Say what you mean, and mean what you say, little human."

Yuugi just growled, knowing he had been outworded this time. But his anger was already beginning to ebb, and he reasoned with himself. '_Hey, it won't be too bad. I mean, Yami's not weak or anything, is he? I'll hopefully be safe. Besides, I really have no idea how to get to that Spell Witch. What _is_ a Spell Witch anyway?_'

"So, it's settled then," Yami said brightly, mirth dancing in his eyes.

"Eh, Yami?" Yuugi tilted his chin up and crossed his arms. "You do know that I have to work for a living, don't you?"

The vampire paused in thought, but his amused grin never left his face. "Well then, I guess I'll have to arrange something. By the way, what _lovely_ company is blessed with your presence each and every day?"

Yuugi scowled but replied nevertheless. "Kaiba Corp."

Yami halted, and one side of his smile slipped, leaving a very lopsided expression. "You mean...You work for Seto?"

"The CEO? Who else?" Yuugi blinked and then it dawned on him. He groaned "Don't tell me he's a vampire too!"

Yami didn't reply, just gave a small snort and rolled his eyes.

'_He really is enjoying this, isn't he?_' Yuugi thought. '_Well, two can play at this game_.'

"I hope you remember, Yami, that humans don't drink blood. If we were saying I'd go with you, I trust you know that we need _proper_ food if we 'weak creatures' are to remain in good health." Yuugi remarked, seemingly lightly.

But Yami saw the insult hidden within its depths, and responded coolly. "Ah yes, I'd forgotten that humans are unreliable in most cases, and manage to get themselves killed in all the other ones. Isn't that right, Yuugi?"

"If you say so, Yami," He replied in kind. But he couldn't help thinking: '_Going in for the kill..._' A corner of his mouth quirked upward. "I just hope you have a plan; we wouldn't want to be caught unawares."

Yami faltered, almost imperceptibly, but Yuugi had been waiting for it. "Ha! I _knew_ it! You don't know where to start either!"

"As a matter of fact, I _do_," The vampire's eyes flashed, and then he put on his lazy grin again. "And it all starts with a certain white-haired thief I know."

"Ryou is not a thief," Yuugi said sharply, but then realizing what he had said, gasped and clamped a hand over his mouth.

"Well, well, well..." Yami drawled, his amusement dancing in his eyes. "Seems our favorite couple are even more alike than seems possible. Tell me, do either of them know that they both have a penchant for thievery?"

Yuugi replied, "I don't think so; Ryou would have mentioned it to me." And then he grinned. "It does get annoying, doesn't it? Searching for something for hours and hours only to realize that a certain someone must have stolen it while you weren't looking..."

"Or finding out at the last second that you don't have something because it was whisked away at a most crucial moment..."

"And then he plays that innocent act when you go confront him! 'What are you talking about?' He says."

"And all of your pleading and cajoling has no impact on him, and neither do your threats."

"So, finally all you have left is either to blackmail him or cry to get it back."

Both of them smiled at each other, eyes twinkling in increasing mirth until Yuugi couldn't hold it in anymore and burst out laughing. He couldn't help it; the image of Yami crying hysterically like a little boy who's had his favorite toy stolen kept going through his head like a broken record. And unawares, he had sent that thought out of his mind and Yami had picked up on it.

The next moment, both of them were doubled over laughing and grasping each other's shoulders as other absurd thoughts bubbled to the surface and sent them into more laughing fits.

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"Yami! I can't walk that fast; wait up!" Yuugi called to the figure ahead of him drenched in shadow. "Ya-_mi_!" 

The next second, the shadow descended upon him and covered his mouth with one hand while he brought his lips to Yuugi's ear. "We are in Da'kana territory now. You will not speak unless called upon, you will not move unless told to, you will not even _breathe_ unless you have my permission."

He paused, and the only sound around them was Yuugi's ragged breathing. A siren sounded somewhere far off in the city. "You are my slave, as of this moment. We've gone over this. Do you know your part?"

Yuugi nodded slightly, counting on the vampire's eyesight to see him. "I," He swallowed and continued in a whisper. "I'm to go see Seto and your other friend's while you talk to the other members of the grand council. On no account am I to draw attention to myself as it will bring my death and/or difficulties for you." He'd gained back a bit of his composure by now and his words were laced with dry amusement.

"And if you should be caught?" Yami prompted, almost gleeful at the way his instructions were being followed. This did so remind him of his days as a Pharaoh.

"I show the marks on my wrist that mark me as your personal possession and therefore, off limits to all other vampires save those whom you give permission to- Hey Yami, what marks? You haven't done anything to my wrist; it looks normal."

"Ah yes, I'd almost forgotten," Yami muttered, and his hand shot out to pluck Yuugi's wrist from where he'd held it up to his face to see.

"Yami, is this going to hur- Ow!" Yuugi exclaimed as the vampire's fangs found their mark and sank into the soft skin above his veins.

And Yuugi would have continued to protest if not the next moment, the pain became pleasure. As he slowly began to sink into a bottomless euphoria that left his shaking, his knees became weak. Before he could collapse though, Yami snaked out his other arm and wrapped it around his waist, drawing him closer.

Of course, Yuugi would have protested even that treatment, as it came from Yami, but the waves of pleasure had finally come to shore and now washed over him relentlessly, leaving him in an ecstasy that was quickly becoming addictive. He couldn't help it; he moaned in pleasure, and the mouth on his wrist grinned wickedly.

But of course, all good things don't last forever, and it became time for Yami to complete the mark. He shifted his grip on Yuugi's wrist and then jerked it around in a half-circle as his fangs sunk in deeper into his skin. The result was a crescent reminiscent of the moon, with a star-like puncture between its points.

But curiously, what should have been excruciating pain to Yuugi only felt like a completion to the pleasurable waves that had been swooping through his body. When the human continued to display no outward reaction to the pain, Yami let go of his wrist and tilted his head to the side, perplexed, watching as Yuugi's eyes fluttered open. A moment passed in silence.

"Yami?" He spoke hesitantly as the last traces of the high left his system. When the vampire didn't respond, he looked down at the newly formed mark on his wrist, and turned it this way and that, staring at it from different angles.

"Not bad," He muttered to himself. Yuugi was surprised to find that he actually liked it, and didn't hate it as he'd imagined. Of course, he hadn't really thought what a Vampire's Mark would look like, let alone what he'd have to do to get one, but it wasn't all that horrible in the least! He cast a quick glance up to Yami, but found his eyes scanning their surroundings and essentially, ignoring him.

Another moment past while he chased after a thought that kept going around in his head, oblivious to all else. Then, he caught it. "Goddamnit! I _knew_ he'd lied to me!"

This was such an abrupt reaction, to Yami it seemed about receiving the mark, that all he could do to respond was blink. "What?"

"Ryou," He muttered darkly. "He's got one of these too, or at least one that looks like it. But when I asked him about it, he told me he'd just scratched himself with a kitchen knife. 'The shape is purely coincidental' he said!"

Yami couldn't help it; he laughed at Yuugi's mimicry of the British boy's accent. He almost sounded like Bakura when he changed his accent to better suit Ryou. The result was just totally comical.

Yuugi stared up at him with a wry expression on his face. "Think it's funny, do you?"

Yami let out a breath and replied. "As a matter of fact, I do. Although, I'm not laughing at you, Yuugi," He grinned. "Rather, I'm laughing at Ryou's expression when he realizes you've found out that he lied to you. Why, what a lovely surprise he'll be in for then!"

Yuugi set his jaw and tilted his chin up. "Damn straight."

The vampire heaved another sigh and shook the last traces of humor from his mind. It wouldn't do to lose control of his emotions, especially at such a crucial time as this, when he was to see the rest of his the vampires of his rank. '_The Council..._'

Although, it really was obvious why he'd turned down a position as the head of such a backwards organization, the Council had never taken the fact lightly, and thus, tensions had been rather increasing of late. He could only hope that things didn't get too out of hand. '_Although, with Yuugi, there's no telling what we're in for._'

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Special thankies to JK Fie'r for beta-ing this chapter_


	11. Marked Favors

**A/N**

**Note**: Hope everyone is enjoying themselves! Thanks for reading those oneshotters of mine, you guys. It meant a lot to me! I really regret not being able to answer your reviews most of the time, but there's something wrong with my laptop since it won't let me do that! Just know that I really appreciate your reviews. Oh, and that visual of Yuugi's mark can be found on my deviantart page; please check out the link in my bio!

What...O.O No one- except those of you who've been with me since the beginning, luv you guys- liked last chapter?...Where'd the reviews go? -sob-

**Note2**: Let's see if you like what you read this time, then. Please **_review_** and tell me what you thought!

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**DARK PASSIONS **

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**Chapter 11: Marked Favors**

Yami placed his hand on the rusty, metal door, and knocked once. A single knock which would have been questioned by Yuugi the next moment if the door had not begun to vibrate, emitting a low hum.

In surprise, Yuugi placed an arm on Yami's and glanced up at the vampire's face before restraining a pout at the blank expression. Another thing that he'd been warned about: vampires, especially High vampires-- those high up in the social rankings, a concept still vaguely understood by Yuugi at best-- is that emotion is regarded as weak and human-like.

Of course, that was all decorum. When not in formal situations, even the most unassuming vampire could become a nasty piece of work. And that, Yuugi _could_ believe.

But he did find himself wondering why not knowing what Yami was thinking affected him. If it weren't for the circumstances, Yuugi would have tried that mind-connection again, but in this situation, he didn't dare break Yami's concentration.

He was abruptly shaken out of his reverie by the door opening and a lone figure overshadowing the doorway, blocking their path. He stepped behind the vampire and turned his eyes down as he'd been instructed, a sign of submission that he'd learned in his crash course on vampires, and waited. Something else to interrogate Yami about later.

"Marik," Yami spoke one word, but the name was as much of a warning as it was a greeting. Yuugi was suddenly glad he wasn't caught between these two; temperatures had just dropped considerably.

"Ah, I see Golden Boy has returned," Marik's mouth may have been smiling, but his eyes glinted with cold fury. A fury directed at the vampire before him, his arms crossed and a bitter expression in place.

Yami was not affected at all by Marik's greeting; he'd been greeted like this all his life. And Marik didn't differ from the rest of those vampires that wished him out of power. Although, the intensity of the hatred Marik sent his way was becoming increasingly irritating and cumbersome.

But Yami couldn't really say he didn't understand, for he did. Yami had been a Pharaoh. A King of the ancient world. And this gave him power in the world he now lived in. His status had afforded him many privileges both in this life and his previous one, things that other vampires desired and jealously guarded. With so few left for him to trust, it was easily explained why he held on to the ties to his past, Bakura and Seto.

Whatever he may have thought he was Yuugi was not prepared for this vampire. When Marik's eyes appraised him in one raking glance, Yuugi barely held himself together. For there for something so wild, so dark, and so predatory in that gaze, that Yuugi recoiled in fright and edged further into Yami before he knew what he was doing.

"New pet?" Marik remarked, and nodded towards the human.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Yami replied curtly, taking a step. "Very special."

"Very special indeed," Marik murmured and his stare returned to Yuugi's body. This time, the human couldn't help the shiver that escaped him under such a gaze. He felt so exposed and vulnerable; it was almost like being sick.

"I don't suppose you're willing to let the rest of us have a taste, are you?" Marik's question was of undeniable hunger. Hunger for the blood of the human, hunger for the body; inexplicably, he wanted this one. Something so unique and exquisite he hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"_Special..._" Marik said again, and Yuugi was horrified to see him step closer and lick his lips. "Is he for sale?"

On the inside, Yuugi was reduced to a knot of worry bordering on panic. What had he gotten himself into? How far _could_ he trust Yami? After all, he was a vampire, just like them. What was keeping Yami from just selling him to the highest bidder? It was with an even bigger shock that Yuugi realized, '_I'm at his mercy. I can't go back now._'

The rest of his thoughts were lost as his mind went blank from overloading itself with worry.

Yami's negative answer was proceeded by his aura, contracting into one point and turning the air around them subzero. His eyes glinted sharply in the light and he placed a hand around Yuugi's neck, a vampiric sign of dominating ownership-- not that Yuugi knew that, of course.

"This one is mine, _Marik_. You haven't gotten too lazy to go out and hunt your own, now have you?" Yami's tone was condescending. He twisted his hold on the human's neck unconsciously and missed the human's wince. "Now, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that I don't like to share. So, I trust you'll spread the word."

And with that, they passed Marik, still staring after Yuugi hungrily, and into the depths of Domino's vampire stronghold.

* * *

"Everyday I ask myself the same question," Bakura said to himself, grinning as he raced down the hall and away from the enraged shouts of the kitchen, his pockets jingling slightly with their contents. "Why is this so damn amusing?" 

With another chuckle, he rounded another corner of the never-ending hallways and came to a window. In one swift motion, he flipped the lock open and jumped out into the night, trusting his senses to guide him safely to the ground below, a mere seven stories away.

As he landed, Bakura heard familiar voices in what sounded like a stand-off. Immediately, his mouth curved upwards and he edged closer to the sounds, clinging to the shadows. Hopefully, this would prove to be interesting.

...And interesting it was! '_My, my_,' he thought to himself, '_Yami sure doesn't waste time in greeting old friends. What shall I find to amuse myself tonight then?_'

Bakura wasn't so ignorant as to not notice the ravenous light in Marik's eyes, nor that it was directed towards Yami's newest plaything which could be easily explained after his absence from their keep. But he also knew that Marik was smart, smarter than he let on, and he wouldn't dare try to take something from a vampire more powerful physically and status-wise than him.

'_He'll just taunt him a little_,' Bakura smirked. '_And it wouldn't hurt Yami to stay alert. With a catch like that, he's bound to attract the attention of other Da'kana._ _Wait a minute..._'

He squinted and shifted position to see the human's face. As he turned, the light fell on Yuugi and Bakura had to put a lid on his laughter before he brought any unwanted attention to himself.

'_By Ra, it's that kid from the dance! Ryou's friend!_' He searched for a name. '_Um...Yuugi, that's it. But what is Yami doing here still with him?'_

"...This one is mine, Marik."

Bakura jerked in surprise and steadied himself against the wall he was currently leaning on. '_Marked? Yuugi's been _marked'

"...don't like to share. So, I'll trust you to spread the word."

'_My, my_,' Bakura observed. '_This is proving to be very, very interesting.'_

As Yami and Yuugi proceeded inside, Bakura turned and leapt back up to where he had jumped out, using the fire escape and surrounding walls as steps. As he made his way toward where he thought he'd see Yami next, he couldn't help the anticipating grin that spread across his face.

Anyone who passed him immediately turned tail and rushed back the way they had come for a grinning Bakura was one to be feared. But he took no notice, lost in the implications of the one event.

'_What _are_ the possibilities?'_

* * *

"Stop fidgeting." 

The voice came from seemingly nowhere. Yuugi almost gave himself whiplash with the speed at which he'd turned his neck, craning this way and that to see who had spoken.

A hand clamped down on his wrist and he almost screamed before he realized it was Yami. '_Oh..._'

"The Marked do not fidget," Yami continued out of the corner of his mouth, his eyes looking straight forward and greeting other vampires with a nod. "They do not have sufficient personality after they've been fed on. You shouldn't either."

Yuugi immediately assumed what he thought was an appropriate expression devoid of emotion.

"Stop that. You look like you've swallowed a lemon."

Yuugi suddenly gave a small growl. He slowed down a little and used Yami's shadow to mask his answer. "I'm not _you_, Yami. How the hell am I supposed to know something I've never done before?"

"Well, you could damn well give an effort." Yami growled back, and sighed. Maybe an old vampire trick would help. "Try imagining a pyramid around your emotions."

"_Pyramid?_" Yuugi hissed. "Just what era are you _from_, vampire?"

Yami sighed in frustration but quickly put his mask back in place as he noticed a couple of glances come their way. Thankfully, his body hid the human's face, but if just one thing went wrong...

"_Fine_, imagine a wall around your petty human emotions."

"Oh, Mr. High-and-Mighty's back, is he? From what you told me, you vampires aren't above a little free-for-all yourself. Just what makes you think you're so special?"

Yami didn't reply right away and so they passed the next couple of hallways in silence, Yami still acknowledging others and Yuugi playing his part. Two flights of stairs and an elevator later, Yami was about to try again but Yuugi beat him to it.

"Since we're talking about walls in all..." He trailed off and looked up at Yami from the corner of his eye. "What kind?"

"What?" Yami blinked.

"What kind of wall are we talking about here?" Yuugi pushed. "Is it a dry wall? Because those aren't very sturdy. Trust me, I know." Yami was surprised to see Yuugi blush.

"Or maybe it's concrete?" Yuugi pressed, his voice rising from a whisper. "Because they're okay, as walls I mean. But I don't like them."

Yami couldn't seem to get in a word edge-wise and he was worried that they'd turn the next corner and be confronted by a suspicious vampire. '_Because let's face it,_' he thought. '_Yuugi does not make a convincing pet._'

'_Pet_,' he spat. Just the thought of it made his skin crawl.

Yuugi was still spouting random nonsense, with each sentence his panic was becoming even more evident, and Yami was quickly losing his patience. With a muffled sigh, he turned on his heel and grabbed Yuugi's shoulders, bringing his mouth to the human's ear.

"Relax," He all but purred, but his voice had the effect. "No one will harm you while you are with me. I have more power than is healthy around here."

Yuugi didn't reply, his ragged breathing the only sound around them. Far off, someone shouted in exultation and several others groaned in despair.

From the other end, a cat screeched and something crunched sickeningly.

Several cars sounded in the distance.

Both vampire and human stood in the middle of it all and regarded each other solemnly.

"Alright," Yuugi finally said and nodded. Yami nodded back and let his hold loosen, straightening back into the tall, imposing vampire he'd been when they had entered.

They had gone no more than a few minutes when Yami inexplicably stopped and stiffened, Yuugi glancing about nervously at yet another empty corridor. Briefly, he wondered just _why_ there were so many of them and why they seemed to be going in circles, but he filed the thought away for later.

"Yami?" His voice was thick with worry and his gaze kept darting about the shadows before and behind them.

Yami didn't reply.

Just then, a very self-assured and amused chuckle sounded from behind them and Yuugi swung around so fast his head spun. Yami turned around too, but at a more sedate pace, and grimaced.

'Ah, Tomb Robber," He said as way of a greeting. "Just who I wanted to see. I was heading over to your hole, in any case."

Bakura stepped into the light and gave one of his infamous grins. "Pleasure to see you again, Pharaoh, as always. And nice to see you again too, _Yuugi_."

Yuugi's marked arm involuntarily jerked at the sound of his name from the vampire's lips.

Then Bakura faked a hurt expression which looked almost comical on his face, unusually distorted by such a show. "Now, now. Don't be insulting my living space, Yami. I happen to like this 'hole' I live in."

Yami raised an eyebrow. "And what does Ryou have to say about it?"

Bakura looked unnaturally sheepish. "Well, he doesn't know where I live." He gave a glare. "_Yet._ So don't be telling him anything, you hear?"

Yuugi glanced back and forth, aware of something going on between the lines, but he didn't know what. Yami had his arms crossed now and Bakura had leant back against the opposite wall, his face half-shadowed.

"I know you want something from me, Yami," Bakura finally said. "Tell me what it is."

The other vampire pressed his lips together, suddenly reluctant to continue the conversation. Oh, how Yami hated to be dependant on someone else; it just wasn't in his nature. But then he caught sight of Yuugi, standing to the side and looking confusedly between the two.

And all his misgivings disappeared. Yami told himself that he needed to see the Spell-Witch just as much as Yuugi did, but something in his head shot that off as untrue and he didn't bother changing it.

"We seek the Spell-Witch, Bakura." Yami finally replied and instantly saw Yuugi sag in relief out of the corner of his eye.

Then, their attention was all on Bakura, who'd remained silent. His brow furrowed and he glanced between the two, shifting back and forth. "Witch..." He murmured under his breath, too quiet for even Yami to hear.

His lip twitched, then his other one. Bakura's eyes suddenly turned unnaturally bright and Yami frowned in apprehension. Then Bakura burst out laughing, giving up all control on maintaining a straight face. They stood like that for a good five minutes before he got himself under control and was able to look back at them.

They were obviously waiting to be clued in on some private joke, but Bakura just couldn't get it out. "With all your power, Pharaoh," He said between breaths. "And no one told you."

"Told me what, Bakura?" Yami demanded irritably. Bakura just shook his head.

"I'll tell you how to find..." His face threatened to succumb to the amusement within again but Bakura controlled the urge. "But only because this is the best laugh I've had in a while."

"What, haven't done your daily mayhem dosage in the kitchens yet?" Yami rolled his eyes. "I don't know why he hasn't had a heart attack yet. Or complained to me. Did you threaten him, Bakura?"

"Me?" Bakura put on an air of innocence and Yuugi grinned widely at the sight. "Of course not! I did bribe him though...Never mind," He added hastily at Yami's pointed look.

"Bakura..." He said warningly.

"Okay, okay!"

* * *

Ten minutes later, Yami and Yuugi bid good bye to Bakura, with a plea from Yami to not cause too much damage, and left to find the nearest window. 

"But Yami," Yuugi finally found his voice now that they were alone. "Why do we need a window?-- There's one, by the way-- I thought we needed to leave to find the Spell-Witch-- you never did explain that properly, either...Shouldn't we be heading back?"

Yami concentrated on pushing at the appropriate points to un-jam the large balcony window and open it. He said, in between grunts of exertion, "We _are_ leaving. I always did like getting away better than coming back. Less of a hassle...Now, come here."

"Why?" Yuugi questioned but did as he was told.

Without warning, Yami grabbed him around the waist and hoisted him against his own hip, his other hand finally un-sticking the window and urging Yuugi to step onto the large, stone railing. He stepped up next to him as well, and they gazed down at the city before them, a mass of glowing neon lights and abrupt sound.

"Wow," Yuugi murmured and Yami smirked, pleased at the reaction he'd received. "It's not fair that you, vampires, are the only ones that get to enjoy this view."

Yami leaned down and brought his mouth to Yuugi's ear again. "It's much better in real life."

Without pause, he swept Yuugi up into his hold and jumped off the railing and into the night.

The last that could be heard was Yuugi shouting first in terror, and then delight as the vampire touched down on the neighboring building's fire escape and back up, proceeding in graceful leaps and bounds towards the heart of the booming city.

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Special thankies to JK Fie'r for beta-ing this chapter_


	12. Didn't You Know?

**A/N**

**Note: CHAPTER REPOSTED!**_ Just cleaned up some grammar and spelling errors, and random nonsense that I don't remember writing._

If you still have any questions, why don't you send them to me in a **_review_**? Oh, and anyone recognize my little tribute to Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? Good readings!

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_Dedicated to **Angeliz** for reminding me that I've got a fic to write.

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**DARK PASSIONS

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**Chapter 12: Didn't You Know?**

"You know, I still can't believe that you're a vampire," Yuugi remarked lightly, his head still spinning slightly after the ride Yami had put him on. "You don't quite look it…Until you smile, that is."

They'd taken to walking the nearer to the main streets they were, and Yami was currently leading them through the small alleys and hidden turns that he knew so they could get to their destination faster.

"What's wrong with my smile?" Yami asked curiously.

"Your teeth-- or should I say fangs?" Yuugi said simply. "Besides that, why don't you look more...like a vampire?"

Yami shrugged. "Because it's not practical."

Yuugi looked confused.

"In a city like this one, it takes only one human to find out, or even guess, and our reputations are ruined. And vampires are more dependent on what we can or cannot do than we let on." Yami put a hand to his temple and rubbed. "Why am I even telling you this?"

Yuugi ignored him. "But what does that have to do with your reputations? Don't you just take what you want by force anyway?"

They quieted for a moment as a rowdy pair crossed the opening of the alley, unsteady but jolly. When the sounds of their drunken songs had faded away, Yami sighed and turned to look at his human half. "And that's where all the negatives come in full force. From your books, dear human. If it weren't for them, how else would you have known about our kind?"

Yuugi had nothing to say, but his mind automatically played back all the times he'd referred to fiction in dealing with the vampire.

"I don't think, in all my centuries on this earth, I've seen a book that portrayed us in a good light. Or had facts that were entirely true. 'Course, one of us would just as well as kill you after sharing so it comes as no surprise. But still..."

Yami suddenly remembered where he was and whom he was talking to. But Yuugi just walked silently beside him, listening, his eyes on the ground.

"And no," Yami added. "We don't take what we want by excess force. What we take is what we need-- unless you're Bakura and have an obsession with shiny things. Or Ryou, shall I add? -- That's why a reputation is important: It gives us easy access to what we need and no one suffers as consequence."

And they spoke no more, both lost in the thoughts of the division between their races, a divide almost to the point of ridiculous.

'_So far divided that they've almost become a myth to us_,' Yuugi thought sadly. '_Who else have we feuded with to the point where we refuse to acknowledge their existence?_'

'_And to think, once we were equals_,' Yami pondered, ignoring the slight twinge of exertion he felt in his mind.

Yuugi froze at his side, jolted into immobility. Then he rounded on the vampire, "I thought I _told_ you not to do that anymore!"

"Do what?" Yami asked unfazed, by now used to Yuugi's temper. Not bothering to wonder where the phrase floating through his mind _"More bark than bite"_ came from, Yami backtracked and tried to determine what 'that' was.

"What's wrong with having a little privacy?" Yuugi's voice rose almost to a whine. "Why won't you just stay out of my _mind_? I don't want to hear yours either!"

"You mean..." Yami blinked. "You heard my thoughts?"

"_Yes!_" The human dragged out the word and swept a hand over his face. "Your thoughts just _crept_ into my mind, like some little...something! Did no one ever teach you common courtesy?"

"You can't seriously be suggesting that I was unconsciously broadcasting?" Yami asked even as he suddenly realized he'd heard the human's own thoughts.

Yuugi just gave a half-hearted shrug.

The vampire paused for a moment, then gave a snort and laughed incredulously. "That would mean I'd let my control slip and my guard down. And I haven't done that in over five hundred years!"

Everything else the vampire said was lost in his mutterings.

"How old did you say you were?" Yuugi asked, light-headed, while his mind tried to force itself to put the vampire's years into a real timeline. Yami didn't answer, occupied with his own questions at the moment.

They continued this way for a time, neither aware of how long exactly. Yami was still muttering and Yuugi held onto his arm unconsciously, his own mind still out of it as they passed three more darkened streets.

Suddenly, Yami gave an exclamation, startling Yuugi out of his own strange contemplations.

"I knew there was something else to it," Yami said smugly. He stopped abruptly and glanced at the human out of the corner of his eye, not noticing that they had linked arms. A nervous giggle, very unlike the vampire, followed. "I, uh, haven't Marked anyone before. Meaning, I don't really know all that much about the effects of being one of the Marked."

Yuugi knew he was supposed to be angry at this point, but all of his energy and will seemed to have gone away at the moment. So he just nodded, encouraging Yami to continue, who did so in surprise.

"I do know how it is done, and that it grants you safety while with the one who marked you. But other than that...Well, it's a good thing we're going to see the Vraza 'Domin in any case, isn't it?"

'_Vraza 'Domin?_' Yuugi asked himself.

"Spell Witch," Yami answered him absently, steering them into the next alley—not even noticing that Yuugi hadn't said that out loud.

"So why are you telling me this now when you could have gotten away with it?" Yuugi spoke again, his voice echoing off the walls on either side of them. He, too, hadn't noticed the anomaly.

"No, I couldn't have," Yami admitted again, pausing to check the street they were coming into before stepping out, pulling Yuugi after. "That's what I was getting to."

He momentarily winced, though Yuugi wouldn't know that it was at his own impulsive nature. "The reason we've, uh, been able to read each other's thoughts is because...we-have-a-mind-link-now."

He finished the last part in a rush and shook loose of Yuugi's hold, walking ahead to hopefully get out of his line of fire.

Yuugi stopped, his brow furrowing as he tried to replay what Yami had said at a slower pace, still feeling slightly disoriented and out of his depth. Ahead of him, Yami carefully kept his head facing forward and mind blank.

'_Mind_,' floated through Yuugi's brain, a thought unconnected and unrelated to anything else. A moment later, '_link_' followed it and he just watched passively as the two words did a dance around each other, connecting but not quite.

Ten seconds later, Yuugi had his fists in Yami's jacket and was shaking him back in forth, the vampire too surprised to do anything.

"WHAT?" Yuugi shouted, his blind panic overshadowing everything else. "You mean...You mean I'm _connected_ to you? With my MIND?"

Abruptly, he let go. Yami took a deep breath and was about to justify his actions when Yuugi came back, full-force. "Didn't I just FINISH telling you that I LIKE my PRIVACY? What..."

He trailed off again and put his hands over his face, Yami just stood in front of him with his own face to the sky.

"Is that even possible?" Yuugi finally asked dejectedly, peeking out from between his fingers.

The vampire took a hesitant breath. "It's not a solid link yet-- and not like the half-link we had before either-- because your Mark is too fresh, and I gave you a bit of my blood when I Marked you and it hasn't had a chance to fully circulate through your system...But yes, I'm afraid it _is_ possible...Yuugi? Are you alright?"

Yuugi still hadn't removed his hands from his face, and his voice sounded muffled from in between his hands.

"I don't want to talk about this right now. All I want...Is to get whatever 'protection' I need from that Spell Witch for whatever 'power' I seem to have," His hands moved to the sides of his face but still stayed attached to his head. "Frankly, I have no idea how I got dragged into this mess in the first place-- But by God, Yami, you will help me finish this thing if it's the last thing I do."

Yami just stood there, speechless and mouth agape while Yuugi heaved a breath. "Now, for the moment, let's pretend the last ten minutes never happened. Okay? Good."

Abruptly, Yuugi's demeanor changed and he smiled. "Shall we find that Spell Witch, then?" He extended a hand towards Yami, who took it after realizing the human wanted him to, and they continued down the street, arm-in-arm.

Yami filed away a reminder to not bring up topics that would evoke such a reaction from him again; it was...frightening, to say the least. Faintly, he heard a thought, which he would correctly identify as Yuugi's later, saying something about '_planning it all along_' before the vampire brought all of his concentration back to locating the calling card of their Spell Witch.

* * *

"Hello?" Yami called out, though the silence was all that greeted him. He moved aside as Yuugi nudged him from behind. "Is anyone here?" 

Not hearing any answer, they moved further in and took in their surroundings. Yuugi kept blinking, waiting for his eyesight to adjust to the dim interiors. When everything came into focus, he suddenly realized that they were in what looked to be an antique book store, judging by the state of the books and amount of dust everywhere. He bent over to look closer at the nearest stand, consisting of a number of interesting-looking books and a globe of the world.

Abruptly, he let out a loud sneeze as dust decided to explore his nose. Yami immediately shushed him and came over to look at what had caught his attention. Yuugi nudged him as a way of asking his opinion, but the vampire only gave a noncommittal noise in response to which Yuugi replied by rolling his eyes.

'_Vampires…_' He thought exasperated.

'_Yes?_' Yami replied, catching the thought. He couldn't resist; so what if he'd already broken the semi-promise he'd made? But Yuugi chose to ignore him rather than start something yet again. Instead, he picked up the nearest book and opened it, his fingers already coated with a thick layer of dust. Yami moved over to read over his shoulder.

"Back here!"

The sudden shout startled both vampire and human, though the only one to curse inwardly at the lowered guard was the former. Yuugi turned first and stopped short, confused. His eyes moved to Yami for clarification.

The vampire turned to see not a Spell Witch in front of him, but rather someone else.

"You are…Vraza 'Domin?" Yami asked, his voice catching slightly in his throat, while his mind spun in circles. What...?

"That I am, sonny," Was the cheerful response.

Yuugi caught his breath as his mind finally processed what was going on. The Spell Witch…was actually a Spell _Wizard_? "What…?" He asked faintly, looking to Yami.

"Seto gave me the impression that you were female," Yami told him, his shock still very evident in his voice.

The Spell Wizard just chuckled, "Well, he has yet to visit me, in any case. How much in a hole to you guys have to be before you visit me? Can't you see I'm _lonely_?" He pulled a long face, and then smiled again. "But Bakura did stop by."

"Bakura?" Yuugi couldn't help but ask, and immediately flushed.

The wizard turned to him and gave him a friendly wink. "Yes he did, although I don't think I'm supposed to tell you what for-- Oops, there goes my mouth again. Let's pretend I didn't say anything, shall we?"

Yuugi nodded slightly in agreement, opening his mouth again. "If you don't mind, er, Vraza 'Dom...Domin, is it? But...Do you have an easier name, or a shorter one?"

The Spell Wizard laughed again. "Oh _drat_, I did it again! Call me Zed, won't you? That old mumbo jumbo is getting quite tedious, don't you think so?" He gave another wink and then turned in a swirl of robes before Yami could speak again.

"Come on in," He called over his shoulder and disappeared around a corner.

As soon as he was lost from sight, Yami gave a growl. "Damn wizards."

Yuugi just blinked and looked up at him, the grin fading from his face. "What do you mean? I thought he was nice!"

Yami looked at him. "There's no doubt that he wants a price for the information we need. Be wary: witches are hard to deal with; wizards are harder."

"Oh," Was all Yuugi could manage. He followed closely behind Yami as they followed where Zed had gone moments before.

"So what can I help you with?" Zed asked from his seat on one side of the round glass table. "Other humans? Other vampires? Life?" He snickered at his own private joke, not bothering to hide his mirth.

Yuugi couldn't help the grin on his face, the old wizard's amusement was contagious but his code of conduct was even more comical. If this was a businessman of Yami's world, then Yuugi was going to enjoy this. He glanced out of the corner of his eye at Yami and his grin widened to see the normally composed vampire sporting a rather unbecoming twitch.

The wizard's switch from playful to knowing was so fast that Yuugi almost missed it, jerking in surprise at the knowing glint in Zed's eyes. "You want protection."

Yuugi's marked arm jerked again. Second time tonight, he noted, before forcefully controlling it. He turned his head slightly to see Yami's expression better.

The vampire had shown no signs of surprise; he'd not been taken in by the wizard's antics. Now he stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "Very nicely done. I was wondering when we'd get around to it."

"Terribly sorry to keep you waiting," Zed replied wryly, although a trace of his humor remained. "Formalities and all, you know. Can't start business on my doorstep, now can we?"

"I don't see a problem with that," Yami remarked, taking Yuugi by the elbow and seating them both at the table. Yuugi chose to remain quiet, more curious as to how things were done. "Makes everything go much faster, wouldn't you say?"

"But then you miss out on all the fun," Zed rebutted and for the first time, used his hand to summon a tray of tea from some other room. Yuugi's eyes bulged and he grabbed Yami's knee under the table in sudden shock-- for that was the first time _he'd_ seen magic outside of books and movies. Naturally, the vampire jumped slightly in his own surprise at the contact, but managed to hide it by shifting his arms on the table and clearing his throat. Both human and vampire missed the knowing glance that Zed shot them out of the corner of his eye.

"Tea, anyone?" Zed offered after the tray had deposited the cups and the teapot had put everything in order. "There's no harm in enjoying a cup, is there?"

Yuugi found it very hard to be annoyed; in fact, he was quite amused by the vampire's agitation as Yami's thought suddenly drifted into his mind. '_Bloody English'._

Another quick glance over told him that Yami was trying very hard not to clench his fists on the table while the leg he'd crossed over the other was tapping the air. Yuugi couldn't resist; letting the staring contest pass over his head, he concentrated on sending a thought to Yami. What had he said? This would get easier or something like that, right? '_Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad_', he thought. '_To be linked with him. After all, it could be worse...He still tricked me into it, though._'

Yami had finally figured out why he'd been dreading coming here. Wizards were about the only thing that drove him up the wall. Well, them and Yuugi, of course, Yuugi corrected with a slight smile. But still, Zed was on his last nerve, and the vampire didn't know what he'd do after that.

'_My, my, my...Aren't we the impatient one today?' _

Yuugi's voice cut through Yami's thoughts in his surprise. Hesitantly, the vampire reached back with his mind, his eyes still locked on Zed's glittering gaze.

'_I wouldn't have to be if someone hadn't gone and unleashed a legendary power almost unknown in this day and age.' _He answered and suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. '_I'm surprised that you're not making a big deal out of your power as you have everything else.'_

There was a slight buzzing under what Yami had said, that Yuugi thought sounded remarkably like static, and he closed one eye until it passed. '_I would,' _He replied with a glance in the wizard's direction. '_If I knew what it actually means to have the 'power of Eclipse'. That's your department, remember?'_

'_Why we're here, Yuugi,'_ Yami told him; his hand began drumming on the table. '_You look quite funny like that, did you know?'_

_'Bite me,'_ Yuugi answered sweetly, and their tentative link broke as he turned his attention to Zed. "Zed? What do you know about Eclipse?"

Zed started and apparently lost whatever contest he'd been having with the vampire, if the nudge he gave Yuugi was any indication. "I beg your pardon, Yuugi! But did you just say...Eclipse?" His voice was just above a whisper on the last word.

"Yes," Yuugi replied blankly, then jerked a finger at Yami. "He won't tell me."

The wizard managed to regain his composure while Yami sputtered indignantly. "I wonder..." His eyes glittered knowingly again. "You wouldn't have been the cause of that massive output of energy the other night, would you?"

Flat silence greeted him, but Zed didn't seem to notice. "What Dawn are you, Yami?"

Yuugi had been on the point of realizing that neither he nor Yami had actually told Zed their names directly, but was ripped away from that thought by Zed's question. "Dawn?" He repeated.

"Yes," The old wizard blinked at him. "That's the way vampire's tell their age, you see-- Yami what _have_ you been telling him? Nothing?-- They live longer than Da'sara, so to remember their ages better, the Dawn system was invented by one of the converted philosophers-- go figure. Basically, the Dawn you were born under is determined by what your culture's beliefs regarding the sun and/or the creation of the world was at the time of your conversion. "

He paused to take a sip from his tea while Yuugi turned his questioning gaze in Yami's direction.

"So what Dawn _are_ you, Yami?"

"I, uh," The vampire shifted uncomfortably. "..I was converted in the Dawn of Nu and Atum-Ra."

"Atum-Ra?" Yuugi repeated, tilting his head to one side. "Nu? Isn't that Egyptian Mythology-- Wait a minute, you're THAT old? But it's been five thousand years!--"

"My dear boy," Zed tried to deflect the anger coming Yami's way. "I don't think he's quite that old; I'd say he was converted towards the end of their civilization's life span. But surely you didn't think him young and still able to wield the power he has over those of his kind, did you?"

Yuugi paused. "Well, I would know if _someone_ had told me." The last mark was, of course, directed at the vampire, who was once again, at a loss for words.

"Yami, you should be familiar with your Egyptian beliefs," Zed nodded towards the vampire. "Would you be so kind as to inform Yuugi here? Hmmm?"

"Uh huh," Yami replied, all eyes on the steaming human seated next to him. He was being notably cautious not to make any sudden movements, for fear of Yuugi's reaction because through their link, undependable as it was, it felt like he was almost sizzling.

And then Yuugi was calm again, the intense emotion that Yami had felt from him now gone. Not bothering to question Yuugi's motives, he turned himself in his chair. "I hope you realize this won't be done in words, right?"

Yuugi paused and lifted his eyes to the vampire's. Whatever he found there must have reassured him for then he nodded and turned in his own chair, only vaguely aware that Zed had leaned back out of range of Yami's Broadcast. The lights dimmed around him.

And then...

He was falling. The sensation spread outward from his chest, traveling up and down his legs and through his arms. Dissipating from his fingertips. What was this? This was entirely unlike when Yami had allowed him to see memories of that other vampire, Jou. Right now, he felt like he was being dragged backwards across...A distance? Time? What did it matter?

Abruptly, he stopped falling, the air around his body molding to his shape. '_Am I hanging in the air?_' He was bewildered, his mind bending over backwards to understand what was going on. It was all too much. Yuugi just gave up making sense of the things around him right then.

Colors appeared out of the darkness around him and twisted together until Yuugi could make out Yami's face and then body. No words were exchanged between them, but Yuugi could feel the incredible reluctance that the vampire was feeling. And Yuugi found himself wondering why more intensely than he could ever remembered feeling anything.

And then he didn't have time to think or want or question anything, for he was thrust into a tunnel of light brighter than his eyes could take; he squeezed them shut as hard as he could and yet, he still felt it. Or was it light?

'_Then what-?_' No, it wasn't light at all! It was...information? Yuugi cracked one eye open slightly and braced himself for the light. But this time, it didn't blind him like it did before; now, it just flowed into his eyes, to his mind. He could feel the knowledge connecting with his own thoughts, his own memories.

Then, Yuugi's eyes widened as he finally understood what the wizard had been talking about. '_He's a--_'

_Special thankies to JK Fie'r for Beta-ing this chapter_


	13. Pranayama

**A/N**

**Note: **My imagination exploded. Yes, you heard me right. It exploded, so I couldn't write, or update or even (gasp) think. No, actually I could think, they were just very, very unimaginative thoughts. XD Anyway, I'm going to be rewriting the first chapters of this fic entirely, because now I think I know where I'm going with it, and I want to remove all the plot holes I made for myself. This chapter's not beta-ed. My beta's sick (Feel better JK!).

Please don't hate me; I do love my reviewers so. XD If none of you've died off yet, do me a favor and **_review_**, would you?

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**DARK PASSIONS **

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**Chapter 13: Pranayama**

"He's a WHAT?" Yuugi's voice echoed around the room. Beside him, Yami tensed as Yuugi unconsciously closed off the Broadcast and it bounced back at the vampire full-force. He absorbed it back with an effort as Yuugi pushed himself back and stood up.

"What IS it with you people and secrets? Is it really so hard to just tell me things up front?" Yuugi pointed at Zed, who had been stealthily trying to edge away from the table. "YOU. Does it kill you to just tell people that you are no Spell Witch at all, but a wizard? How does that even possibly improve the dispositions of those that have no other option save come to you for help?

"Vampire, I thought I could handle. It was strange, it was unbelievable, and it made my brain hurt, but I thought I could manage it. But _him_ being a Pharaoh is too much to digest. How can you expect me to believe that he --apparently, over three thousand years old-- is royalty dating back to Ancient Egypt?"

Yuugi finished with a stamp of his foot and rounded on Yami, who'd also stood up and was calmly brushing himself off. "Hey you! Pharaoh-wannabe! When were you planning on tell me that? Actually, when were you planning on telling me anything? You've just been dragging me along behind you since the first moment I met you. Do you think I WANTED to be stuck in the middle of all this?"

Yami cleared his throat. "I thought you said we were going to talk about this later."

Yuugi laughed incredulously. "This IS later! I've finally said my mind after putting up with you the past couple of days and just because you can't save face now is not my problem." He stepped closer. "Stop lying to me. Stop keeping things from me. I'm stuck with you, and the least courtesy you could do me would be to tell me what the hell's going on."

It was then that Yuugi noticed Yami's glowing red eyes and trembling frame. Yami hadn't even replied to Yuugi yet, and he visibly faltered, unsure of what to do. He reached out a hand towards Yami, unconsciously choosing the one that had been Marked, and Yami turned it palm upward as his sleeve slid back to reveal the Mark in all its red glory.

Yami hissed, and one of his own hands shot out to circle around Yuugi's wrist, bringing him closer. The vampire brought his lips to the human's ear and let him hear the deep humming, almost purring, coming from his throat. "You see what this does to me?" His voice rumbled. Neither noticed as Zed slipped out of the room silently. "Your emotions feed my soul. I am your amplifier; whatever you feel, I'll have to magnify it whether I want to or not. That...is the power of our new bond."

Silence. Yuugi's heavy breathing. A clock ticked patiently in another room. Something knocked against a wall and clattered. Both human and vampire stayed frozen like that, scant inches apart, until Yuugi swallowed with an effort. "I get it."

"Do you?" Yami pulled him back and regarded him with glittering eyes, still red but they continued dimming as Yugi watched.

Yuugi nodded, his gaze fixed upon Yami. "If I don't control my emotions, you're the one who pays for it. And you'll take me down with you, if you can." He added the last bit with a trace of bitterness that Yami caught but didn't comment on. He didn't say anything else to Yuugi as he let him go and turned on his heel to walk out of the room.

"Zed," He called, his voice somehow carrying through the hall and into dark rooms. Something clattered again in a room ahead, and Yami made his way toward it. A minute later, Zed appeared in a doorway and grinned with his usual good humor.

"Found me, have you?" he replied, his grin widened at seeing both human and vampire still together. "So, what was it you needed of me?"

Yami smiled back, a touch challengingly. "You tell me, old man. You seem to know everything."

"That, I do," Zed chuckled. "And it just so happens I do know what you need. Lucky day, eh?"

"Very," Yami made a show of eyeing Zed's neck. "Care to share that information with me?"

"Of course-- for a price," The old wizard took a step forward at Yami's acknowledging nod. There was a tense moment, and then...Zed grinned sheepishly. "You see...there's this lass I've had my eye on."

Yuugi burst out laughing at this as Yami turned to regard him coolly. "By all means, Zed, do go on. Don't pay me any mind." Yuugi prompted even as his eyes danced with mirth and didn't fool anyone.

The old wizard pouted, but continued. "I've had my eye on her for months, but sadly,"-- he threw himself against the wall dramatically-- "I've had yet to make a move. Woe is me!"

At this, Yuugi burst into another round of laughter while Yami rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "And how does this help us? I will not go dilly-dallying across the city for your love interest."

"Ah," Zed abruptly stopped mock-crying and smiled at the vampire. "But that is where you are mistaken. She is of value to you. Of _great_ value, Pharaoh."

Yami started at the use of the title but before he could say anything, Yuugi spoke. "Why, Zed?"

"The only way I can see you both surviving the multitudes of folk that are converging on your very location as we speak-- scary thought, if they get in here, they better not ruin my best china-- is by you, Yuugi, learning what your power means. In other words, for the vampire rolling his eyes so much that they're going to be stuck that way, that means that you've got to make the Power of Eclipse work for _you_, instead of the other way around. Magic does have its own mind, you know."

"Well, that doesn't sound very safe," Yuugi grimaced. "You mean to say that this Eclipse magic thing could just go off any minute whether it's convenient for me or not?"

"That's why we're going to see Zed's eye candy," Yami said sardonically, finally realizing what Zed was telling them. "For control. We're going to that you can learn control and not have your magic, as you put it, 'go off'."

"...Oh," Yuugi blinked. "That's not a bad idea, actually."

"'Course, it's not!" Zed exclaimed and clapped his hands together. "I'm a genius. My brilliant mind outshines everyone else. My knowledge is vast, my wisdom vaster. My intellect has no limits! ...I'm a wizard!"

Yuugi lost control of his legs and collapsed to the ground, laughing the entire way down, as Yami looked on shocked at the both of them. "You," Yuugi wheezed in between his snorts, "need to get out more often. Loosen up, you Pharaoh-vampire-whatever else you are."

"Yuugi's got a point there," Zed grinned, pleased at the human's reaction. "You vampires and your control on your emotions makes you look like there's a permanent stick up your ass."

"There is no stick up my ass!" Yami replied, outraged. Nevertheless, both wizard and human caught him trying to glance discreetly at his backside.

"Ah hah!" Yuugi exclaimed, and in a uncharacteristic display towards the vampire, stood up and grabbed Yami's much taller shoulders. "You've been caught red-handed vampire! ...Checking out your own stick, were you?"

"I was most certainly not!" Yami denied again, but the link he and Yuugi had chose to restart at that moment, and Yuugi got the vampire's thoughts loud and clear.

"Are. Too." Yuugi grinned like the cat that'd swallowed the canary. "You know what this means?"

"Time for happy hour?" Zed asked hopefully.

Yuugi turned his head to look at the wizard. "Right again, Zed-o! You're on a roll! Screw control, magic, and all the crap. We're going clubbing, Yami!"

"...Again?" Yami asked, dazed, even as he knew his control of the situation was all but gone. When had that happened?

"Don't forget about my lass, now!" Zed admonished, a filled tea cup floating to his hand as he spoke.

"How do we find her?" Yuugi asked with a tilt of his head.

Zed skipped in place. "She's the most beautiful, intelligent, bedazzling, amazing, lovely, brilliant, shining, admirable, alluring, angelic, appealing, beauteous, bewitching, charming, classy, comely, cute, dazzling, delicate, delightful, divine, elegant, enticing, excellent, exquisite, fair, fascinating, fine--"

"We're going to be here all night if you don't do something, Yami." Yuugi spoke out of the corner of this mouth.

"And who's fault is that?" Yami replied, raising an eyebrow.

"--foxy, good-looking, gorgeous, graceful, grand, handsome, ideal, lovely, magnificent, marvelous, nice, pleasing, radiant, ravishing, refined, resplendent, shapely, sightly, splendid, statuesque, stunning, sublime, superb, symmetrical, taking, well-formed, wonderful specimen of witch you've ever laid eyes on."

"And her name would be...?" Yami prompted.

"Meredith," Zed breathed, and promptly fell over in a faint. Both Yuugi and Yami stared at him then turned to each other.

"What now, genius?" Yuugi finally asked.

"I say," Yami smirked, "We go looked for this Meredith."

"And I say," Yuugi replied. "We're going clubbing."

"Can't we do both?" Yami asked.

Yuugi paused, then nodded eagerly. "I imagine so. Bye Zed!" He tossed over his shoulder as they stepped over his prone body and left.

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Seto drummed his fingers in time with the beat while his eyes scanned the dance floor for Bakura and Ryou-- who still had no idea that Bakura was a vampire. He felt his own lips curve into an amused smirk as he stifled a snicker. What the vampire was in for when the human discovered what had been kept from him, Seto could only imagine. He silently toasted karma, or whatever it was that made the world go round the way it did.

The three of them had come tonight for the grand opening of the newest club in Domino. Where's Your Head, he thought it was called. A strange name for a dance club as far as he was concerned, but then again, he rarely went to these things. It always took someone to bribe or blackmail him to come, anyway. He turned in his chair to see the other side of the room.

Ah, there they were, in the far corner and dancing like there was no one else in the room. Seto rolled his eyes. Figures, he thought, Bakura's god complex has a way of rubbing off on those around him. But quickly turning his eyes away from what was quickly becoming a personal dance between the two, Seto fixed his attention resolutely on the singer crooning up on stage.

'Hmmm, not bad', he thought. Angled the way Seto was at the bar, he couldn't see the singer's face, but he gave an appraising eye over what he did. This one would do nicely for feeding, he thought as the distance stirrings of Hunger in his blood awoke. Maybe after the show was over? Plenty of time to enjoy himself then, Seto grinned.

Still bored, Seto remarked to himself. 'What to do to stave off that Hunger?' He shifted in his seat, turning half-way with his drink and tilted his head to the side, letting the lyrics wash over him.

_When my blood is not my own and my body is yours to wield  
Why did you smile and give it all back?_

Out of sheer boredom, Seto found himself listening to what the singer was singing. Just to entertain himself, Seto justified himself, ignoring the slight prick of something in the back of his mind. Unbeknownst to him, Bakura was watching him out of the corner of his eye while he whispered to Ryou.

_Backed into a corner, you protect me the only way you know how  
Yet it's not enough for even this strong one; I fall_

Something jiggled loose in the back of his mind but Seto ignored it, his ears straining to hear the lyrics over the pounding bass. It sounded slightly familiar, although he couldn't place it. Had he been here before? But no, this club had just opened and Bakura had invited him to come tonight. Maybe he'd fed of this singer before, he fancied for a minute, before dismissing the thought.

_Because of an unfinished line, our bond is giving way  
I can feel my body failing; why do you seem sadder than me?_

Now there was something worth looking into, Seto decided, but the itch in his head was becoming quite irritating. 'Maybe I do know this singer, after all.' He questioned himself again, shuffling his recent memories around as the music dimmed and the young man stood alone, no music backing him up, and sang.

_When I was the sun to your moon, we sang  
I can still see the you from long ago, deep in my memories_

Seto felt his heart beat faster even as his own memories stirred. They played in his mind, swirling around something but not getting there. No, he denied them. _Not quite._

_And when I couldn't shine anymore, you were my eclipse, shielding me from the world  
All these other stars and yet I still see you as clearly as if you shone right back_

He felt his heart jump into his throat, his breathing becoming forced as the lyrics brought on painful memories that he thought he'd managed to forget.

_I feel reborn in that which is me, yet one part is still gone  
My body misses yours, the heart which I gave to you is not there  
Why can't I find that which is missing from me?  
_  
Seto growled, his fingers tightening on the glass in his hand dangerously. The effect of the singer's singing was unforgivable, Seto decided. He'd have to teach him a lesson, no doubt about that.

But first, Seto had to see his face, to mark him in his memories as someone who was going to leave this world. In one fluid motion, he stood up and set his glass down with an audible thunk. As he pushed passed the excited audience, he didn't have any time to notice Bakura's knowing look.

Seto growled under his breath again as a particularly drunk listener- whether male or female, he couldn't tell in this lighting- took a moment to grope him from behind. Not sparing another glance, he swung out with his right arm and felt it collide with solid skull; a smirk returned to tug at his lips.

And yet he still hadn't seen the singer's face. As if from far away, he heard someone thanking the audience for such a wonderful evening as the last note rang throughout the seemingly cramped club.

'No'. Seto's heart lurched again as he caught a final glimpse of the singer's sandy blonde hair passing through a doorway. And then he was gone; Seto's plans put out of action.

'Relax', he told himself. 'I know enough of what he was wearing tonight to find him. And I will. Oh yes, I will.'

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"But Bakura, some things still don't make sense." Ryou complained. "Why doesn't Seto do anything?"

"Well, uh, there's a reason for that," Bakura stalled, his eyes staring a hole through the opposite wall while he thought fast.

" Bakura?" Ryou nudged him after a while when no response was forthcoming. They were jostled a bit as a couple of enthusiastic dancers in a conga line acknowledged them on their way passed. The deep, thrumming beat of the next song started up and a new singer walked out onto the club stage across the room. Something fell and the sound of tinkling glass could be heard from the bar. And still, Bakura kept silent. Ryou nudged him again. "Bakura? Hello? You home?"

Bakura started, his arms tightening unconsciously on Ryou's form in front of him and said boy let out a squeak. "Sorry," The vampire said absently as Ryou's hands found his and tightened.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" Ryou turned his head to look up at him, the worry plain in his voice. "We should really take a break anyway. I think we've shown enough of these amateurs what true dancing is all about. We can do the big finale later. Come on, let's go sit down."

Bakura muttered something, but followed Ryou when he pulled the vampire towards a booth under the black lights. His mind was entirely on the matter of how he was going to go about this. Yes, it was the moment of truth, and like always, Bakura was left to think on his feet. Vaguely, he registered Ryou pushing him down into a neon green booth that made his eyes hurt and leaving for drinks. He just started blankly across the seat, not noticing the couple going at each other like there was no tomorrow in the next one.

"This is stupid," Bakura groaned to himself. "Where the hell is the Pharaoh with his articulate speeches when you need him?"

"You know, I never did understand why you guys have those nicknames," Ryou began, a bottle in either hand as he appeared from seemingly nowhere, one of which he placed in front of Bakura. He furrowed his brow. "Tomb Robber, Pharaoh, and High Priest...Where do they come from?"

"Ryou," Bakura began, that choked himself off and took a swig from the bottle.

"Bakura," Ryou replied amiably, a lilt in his voice. He closed one eye as something else crashed at the bar behind him, and winced slightly.

"No,_ Ryou_," Bakura tried again; Ryou paused. "I can't keep this from you anymore. I should have told you at the beginning, anyway. I guess I thought you'd just see me as the standard myth look-alike." He grasped Ryou's hand across the table and pulled closer. "I'm not. I've never been what you make us out to be...Well, maybe I _was_, at one point. But I didn't _know_ any better! Eh, maybe I _did_, at that. But _don't judge me, _Ryou."

Ryou stared at him dumbly. He blinked. "What?"

Bakura ran one hand through his hair, and gave a gruff sigh. Then, he mumbled something under his breath. Ryou scratched his own head. "Sorry?"

Bakura said it again, a bit louder, but the increasingly loud sounds of glass crashing behind Ryou drowned Bakura out. Ryou wrinkled his brow and rubbed his ear. "Pardon?" He prompted again.

Now Bakura huffed and crossed his arms over the table. Ryou sighed in exasperation. "Come on," He said, grabbing both bottles and standing up. "Let's get out of here." He winked.

"But, I--" Bakura cut himself off and stood, once again letting Ryou lead him where he willed. Briefly, he smiled as he indulged his boyfriend, and pulled his thoughts together enough to catch up and wrap a possessive hand around Ryou's waist, sending a glare in the direction of those watching hungrily nearby.

Five minutes later, they were both leaning against the brick wall of the alley and breathing in the fresh, and slightly humid, air. "Remind me to never spend so much time looking for a back door again. Next time, I'll just ask someone straight off." Ryou wiped his forehead and sent a puzzled glance Bakura's way. "_Now_ can you tell me, Bakura?"

"You won't like it.," Bakura said reluctantly. He shifted uncomfortably against their wall, which was vibrating with the beat of the music inside, and turned to look back at the other.

"Nonsense, Bakura. Like it or not, I'm going to hear it anyway," Ryou answered him. "You know you're going to tell me. Now, do it."

"Ryou..." Bakura shrugged helplessly. "I'm a vampire."

Ryou burst out laughing. "I don't think I caught that," He managed between gasps for breath. "Say again?"

Bakura pouted. Then, he turned serious as a thought suddenly hit him. "I'm a vampire, Ryou. A _vampire_...You know what those are, right?"

Ryou was about to reply when another fit overtook him and he could only nod. Then, his legs gave out, and he slid down the wall, landing on the ground with a thump and a hiccup. At length, when he didn't say anything else, Bakura turned towards the wall and began pounding his head against it methodically. It took a moment for Ryou to realize what was happening to his boyfriend.

"Bakura," He grabbed onto the vampire's belt and dragged himself up. "_Stop_."

Bakura paused long enough to give him a dirty look. "No." He resumed his self destruction, ignoring the human hanging off him like another article of clothing. He was doing such a good job, actually, that he didn't notice when said human managed to undo and slip off his belt. Bakura got in one more pound before he was suddenly spun around and the belt was whipped around his arms and shoulders and tied behind his back, effectively pinning them before and slightly above his head. "What the hell, Ryou? I know you think I'm insane; let me at least prove you right."

"Why would I think you're insane?" Ryou asked, amused.

"Well, as you've just shown me wonderfully, the words 'Bakura' and 'vampire' don't mix in your mind. I may as well have said I was the queen of England." He gave a half-hearted attempt at pulling his bonds apart even as he cursed himself for wearing such strong belts.

"_Bakura_," Ryou dropped his head into the vampire's chest for a moment, exasperated. Then, he lifted it back up. "I _know_."

There was silence, a silence that stretched agonizingly long as Bakura processed this information. Then, an even longer pause as he gaped and tried to formulate a response. Finally, it came to him. "_WHAT?_"

Another bout of laughter tried to escape passed Ryou's lips but he clamped down on the urge. "I knew, Bakura, from the moment I saw you. It's in my blood, you see. I- I'm afraid I haven't been frank with you, either. In reality, I come from a long line of ones with the Sight-- back to the Dawn of Zeus, in fact." Bakura was still gaping at him, and Ryou began to shift from foot to foot, suddenly overcome with doubt.

_The Sight_. Inherited by blood, and passed on century to century, the Sight affected a person on various levels; the most obvious of them was, of course, altered eyesight. To have it meant the aura which surrounded vampires, the Da'kana, and all under their rule-- shape shifters, werewolves, spell healers, normal witches, and the like--or the Da'k, was visible. Most described the aura as a flame which flared around the head, growing and diminishing by the intensity of emotions felt.

At length, Bakura seemed to regain his composure. "Sight, did you say?" He spoke quietly, his words controlled and precise. Ryou felt a chill run down his back; that was the tone Bakura reserved for only the most serious of times, and Ryou had only ever heard him use it twice: on the night they had met as strangers, and when Ryou had been threatened by one of the hot-shot gangs of the city.

Ryou flinched; there could only be one thing Bakura was thinking. Having the Sight had both good and bad to it. While Ryou could not be surprised by a creature of the night because of how his eyes and mind had been wired to react faster to the speed and power of the Da'k, he was also stuck with being able to read their emotions whether he wanted to or not. If cornered by a Da'k who wished him harm, Ryou could very likely be hypnotized by an aura as is grows and diminishes with emotion; such was the power of the Sight.

And there was one more thing that made Ryou's skin tingle. Thinking back on all he had been told of his relatives, Ryou could not think of even one time when one of his line had had a relationship with a creature of the night, much less their rulers, in any way but business. Why was this? He had no clue, nor had any of his forays into his family's past brought up any answers. All that he'd accomplished was frustrate himself to the point where Bakura'd had to work hard to loosen him up again.

But back to the moment at hand. Ryou shook off the pleasant memories of time spent with his boyfriend, and risked nudging Bakura into glancing up at him from his contemplation of the ground. He didn't know how to proceed from here. What do you do after confessing what you'd thought you'd be able to keep secret for a long while yet? And more importantly, what would your boyfriend think after finding out that his supposedly well-kept secret was in fact common knowledge to you?

"Ryou," Bakura began. Ryou was so startled by his dark tone that he missed the corners of the vampire's mouth curving upwards. Ryou suddenly realized where he was and tried to disengage himself from Bakura's hold, but he held tight. "Why you clever, little _fox_, I had no idea!" --He broke into amused and incredulous laughter-- "Here I thought you were going to hate me forever for keeping something from you for so long, or run screaming from fright and _you start laughing_. I don't know what that says for my taste" --and suddenly, Bakura's voice didn't sound so light anymore, but laced with something much more demanding-- "But that turns me on...You and me will go far, Love. Farther than you can _possibly_ imagine."

And with that he swooped down on Ryou's lips, and all questions and worries were forgotten in the heat of passion. Ryou would wonder later how it was only Bakura's kiss that could make him feel weak and empowered at the same time.

The touch of moist air on skin was like an aphrodisiac, and pretty soon, neither could stop the need to touch the other but nor could they continue where they were. They came up for air, panting. Then Bakura hummed. "I seem to remember a certain someone saying something about a 'big finale'. Or was I wrong?"

Ryou gave him a wicked grin. "Bakura, you only had to ask."


	14. The Killing Dance

**A/N **

**Note:** I had fun using the French, German, and Russian I have here; there are translations into English on the bottom of the page but you don't have to read them. That's not the point of me using them. Feel free to correct me if you spot something wrong, though.

EDIT: Thanks to Sansi for correcting my German. Without you, it'd all be a bunch of shit. XD

Changed my penname because I am an Overlord and that's what Overlords do.

Enjoy, and please **_review_**.

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**Chapter 14: The Killing Dance**

There was a feeling. A singular motion. A beat. It surrounded them until there wasn't room for anything else.

Ryou reminded himself to breathe as he felt Bakura behind him, tracing a pattern with his hands down Ryou's sides. It was wrinkling his clothes, but he couldn't find it in him to care. It was a challenge to even think beyond the sensations on his body, so he didn't. He just let it go. Let it roll over him until his ears were ringing with the beat and his skin was thrumming under Bakura's touch.

Everything was suddenly pushed out of his mind when Bakura's mouth found his neck. Ryou felt the rest of his body lose feeling until he was only the part that connected him to Bakura. He reached down and put his hands over Bakura's on his hips, joining their moves together and increasing the pace.

Ryou thought that was all he would be able to take without loosing his sanity but then, Bakura grazed the skin on his neck with his fangs. Ryou felt his heart speed up even faster as Bakura grabbed him tighter and pressed him against his own body.

Ryou swallowed hard. He watched Bakura's arms flex against his hips, back and forth, as they grinded together to a heavy beat.

"Bakura..." His voice was husky and low, made only for Bakura's ears. The vampire felt his own shiver run up his spine and he ran his hands down Ryou's arms, leaving a static electricity in his wake. Their sexual tension was thickening and racing to a conclusion that they awaited eagerly.

The music changed abruptly, a calmer beat, to catch breath on.

Bakura reluctantly loosened his hold and made sure Ryou could stand on his own without tipping over before letting go, his fingers trailing across where Ryou's shirt had lifted to show his skin.

"You see that couple over there?" Ryou jumped as Bakura's voice whispered in his ears. He looked through the pulsing crowd for the couple but didn't turn around to look at Bakura; there was something strangely erotic about having the vampire's mouth so near his skin.

"There," Bakura nudged Ryou's head to the left and waited for him to nod when he saw the couple before continuing. "They're too full of themselves. Much too full."

"Shall we show them up?" Ryou asked, amusement lacing his voice, as he felt his strength returning faster at the prospect.

Bakura just snickered lightly and wrapped an arm around Ryou's waist. "You know it."

"Wait a minute," Ryou paused, squinting through the club lights even as he moved with Bakura's new rhythm. "I think they're Da'kana, or should I stick with the more human version of the word with 'vampires'?" -Bakura rolled his eyes at him. Now that both their secrets were out, there was no point doing that- "I didn't know you lot liked night clubs; I thought you were a special case, Bakura."

Bakura grinned, "I am. There's no one alive who can top me, either." He laughed when Ryou got the double meaning of that and shoved him, grinning. "Ready, Ryou?"

The music changed again as if on cue.

A new pounding bass, a new rhythm, and something energizing hit them all at once, and swept the old melody away, its memory faded from the crowd already.

But Bakura and Ryou were ahead of the other dancers, mindlessly moving to the beat, and had made a clearing for themselves in between the mass of bodies. Ryou had managed to nudge the last dancer far enough back when he felt Bakura's arm snake around his waist, fingers already inching under the band of his leather pants.

Ryou's lips curved into a smile as Bakura spun him out and ran his fingers suggestively down his arm. He grabbed the vampire's hand and made him follow his spin, ending with them pressed together; Bakura hitched him up so they were eye-to-eye as the vampire's hand traveled down Ryou's willing body.

The dancers nearest them finally took notice and one of the guys whistled appreciatively, bringing more attention to them. Like moths drawn to light, more dancers turned towards them and began dancing around the couple as their dance became more and more daring and focused on each other.

Bakura felt a flash of jealousy when he heard whistles, knowing that it was towards Ryou. Mine, he thought as he tightened his hands around Ryou's waist and trailed his lips down his neck. _Mine_.

With a growl that only Ryou heard above the music, Bakura spun him out and motioned to the DJ for one of his own songs. New club or not, the ones manning the music knew who he was and knew what he wanted. Or else. The vampire felt himself grinning as the music he wanted came on. _Good_.

Bakura felt Ryou jerk in his arms and look up at him knowingly as the first bars of a song Ryou had admitted induced the most animalistic of his desires. The animal that Bakura wanted to come out; that he craved. Fuck, when Ryou lost his inhibitions, they were unstoppable, Bakura gave a shuddered breath as Ryou ran his hands down his chest. Right now, Bakura glanced at the opposing couple out of the corner of his eye and saw that they were pissed the attention wasn't on them anymore, that was _exactly_ what he wanted.

He looked back at Ryou and asked him to do what he rarely did: lose himself in the music. Ryou just stared at him for a moment, their bodies rocking to the music intro, before he grinned and stepped closer, leaning up.

"I hope you know I hold you entirely responsible for anything I do tonight from this point onward," Ryou spoke low again.

"That was supposed to be a warning, wasn't it?" Bakura smiled lazily as his eyes took in Ryou looking up at him coyly.

Ryou put his heels back on the ground but remained pressed tightly to the vampire, the nearness doing heavenly things to his body. "Some say warnings are just another way of telling the future."

"Then I'm looking forward to how this night is going to end," Bakura chuckled and pressed a hand to the small of Ryou's back as the music sped up and words joined in.

Ryou didn't even have time to protest as the vampire suddenly bent him backwards and spun them both, so resembling something else for a moment that their audience gave a shout of approval. It was then that Ryou actually noticed the crowd and sent a glance toward his boyfriend. _Let's begin.

* * *

_

Yuugi looked at the endless flights of stairs and then back to Yami. "You've got to be kidding me."

'Well, we've got no other choice, now do we?" Yami snapped back, his finger pressing the useless elevator button repeatedly. "Life isn't all fun and games. It's not all easy, either. You want to control your power, fucking work for it."

"Well, I fucking know that!" Yuugi shot back, his pissy mood already inducing a mirroring reaction in Yami. "I just don't see why we have to climb all these stairs to see Zed's girlfriend." He crossed his arms and looked away.

Yami sighed and leaned against the wall, his hand still pressing the button. "This isn't about Zed at all, is it?"

Yuugi snapped his neck back to look at Yami. "Out of my head."

Yami frowned. "I wasn't in it. I can't help it if your thoughts and emotions are written all over your face."

"Yeah? Well you can stop looking then," Yuugi replied, and even to his own ears, it sounded lame. He wiped a hand over his face and sat down on the bottom stair of the staircase. "A lot has happened in the past couple of days. You, for example, went from wanting to drink me dry, to stalking me" –Yami sputtered– "to helping me."

Yami just stared at him.

"Thank you for that," Yuugi finished.

Yami just continued to stare before he got a hold on himself and then he grinned. "So what brought on this touchy-feely shit?"

Yuugi scowled. "I don't know. And it's not touchy-feely shit. You asked me to tell you so I did."

Whatever Yami was going to say was cut off as the elevator bell sounded and the doors opened, waiting for them.

"Well it's about bloody time," Yami said instead, walking in and holding the doors for Yuugi. When they'd both got on and leaned against opposite walls, they both realized that the panel had no floor numbers on the buttons, or even buttons. There was just one, and it was marked 'UP'.

Yami looked at Yuugi who shrugged, 'We're already in the damn elevator, aren't we? Just press it. What's the worst that can happen, we go down?"

"Famous last words," Yami muttered but pressed it anyway.

The doors shut lightning fast and the car shot up as if there were rockets attached to the bottom. Yuugi lost his footing and ended up clutching Yami's arm for support, who stood there unaffected.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked, surprised by Yuugi's reaction. "Are you drunk?"

"Don't you feel it?" Yuugi exclaimed, feeling as if gravity was getting increasingly heavier. "Why are you so damn special?"

Yami used his free hand to rub his temple; he could feel a headache coming on already. "I know what this is; it's a spell. We've only gone up a floor, two at most. 'Worst that can happen' my ass. I knew there was some reason we should have taken the stairs."

"Well tell me 'I told you so' and be done with it." Yuugi panted. His body had become so heavy; it was getting harder to breathe. "Fix it."

"Avec plaisir(1)," Yami smiled grimly and then froze as his ears caught up with his mouth. "Quoi?(2)"

"Es-tu bon, Yami?(3)" Yuugi asked then jerked to a stop…_French?__What!_ "QUOI? JE PARLE FRANÇAIS MAINTENAINT? QUOI LE FUCK, YAMI?(4)"

Yami's eyes were wide as his mind raced, searching for an answer to their strange predicament. "Je ne sais pas! C'est très bizarre! Tu es raison; quoi le fuck?(5)"

They turned their panicked gazes to the door and next thing the vampire knew, Yuugi was pounding on it as hard as he could. "M'AIDER! JE NE VEUX PAS PARLER FRANÇAIS! J'AIME MON ANGLAIS!"

Suddenly, it all came together and Yami knew why they were speaking French. It must have been a spell; what else?

"Yuugi," he called. Yuugi just kept pounding on the door, screaming obscenities in French. "Yuugi, dieu-condamne-il!(7)"

He finally had Yuugi's attention. "Wir muessen zusammenarbeiten!(8)" he paused and re-said it in his head. _German? What happened to French?_ "Was zum Teufel? Jetzt wir sprechen in Deutsch? Das ist Irrsinn!(9)"

Yuugi felt a hysterical scream coming up and forced it back down. Barely. What the hell was going on? First French, now German. What was wrong with good, old, plain English?

"Oh Yuugi, ich weiss(10)," Yami spoke again. "Es liegt ein Fluch auf unseren Zungen. Ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass Zeds Freundin dahinter steckt.(11)"

He waited for Yuugi's reaction, but he just continued to stare at Yami with an incredulous look on his face. Then he took a breath and said, "ICH VERSTEHE NICHT WAS DU SAGST, DU FUCKING VAMPIR!(12)"

'_Shit_,' Yami winced; he had forgotten that while he was being forced to speak in French and now German, he had been around long enough to actually be able to speak and understand the languages. Yuugi hadn't lived that long and he couldn't, which was why he was panicking now; the vampire was surprised he hadn't broken down already.

'_Wait a minute_,' Yami suddenly realized what he could do. He froze and breathed deeply, gathering his wits while at the same time spreading them out in his mind. '_Yuugi…_'

The human abruptly stopped in his tantrum and looked at the vampire, one of his eyebrows rising and his chin sticking out, despite their circumstances. "Was machst du in meinem Kopf, Yami?(13)"

Yami rolled his eyes and tried again, finding that now that he'd forged a path to Yuugi's mind, it was easier the second time. '_Don't be an ass, Yuugi. Haven't you noticed I'm speaking in _English_ now?_'

Yuugi didn't know how to send his thoughts like Yami had so he just said it out loud. "Нет" –Yuugi's eyes widened- "О Фок, русский язык теперь? Я не знаю больше.(14)"

Yami restrained a laugh at risk of Yuugi losing it again; they didn't need that again, especially since they were still in the elevator. Russian wasn't his best language but Yami found he could understand what Yuugi was saying if he listened. '_Yuugi, would you like to learn how to send your thoughts directly to me? We'll need it if something like this happens again._'

Yuugi managed to restrain himself from strangling the vampire, but just barely. "ДА! Конечно, я хочу. Я не хочу остаться говорящим по-русски, Yami.(15)"

Yami grinned. '_So, I shouldn't have asked then. Right. Do you know the feeling of concentrating on something so hard that you feel some blood vessel in your brain is about to break?_'

Yuugi chose not to speak and nodded his head instead.

'_Well, forget about that_.' –Yuugi scowled at him – '_If you're concentrating too hard, your mind creates an automatic barrier around to keep your thoughts all in. It's your mind's way of ensuring privacy.'_

"Тогда, что я делаю?(16)" Yuugi asked, his tone exasperated.

'_For you, Yuugi, just empty your mind. Let all your thoughts, and emotions go. Let them go over your head as if you're not there. By doing so, you open your mind enough to let it leave the confines of your head and-'_

'_Like this?_' Yuugi asked, his voice not an actual sound but a warmth that danced across Yami's skin. It felt like the sun that Yami hadn't felt in over three thousand years.

Yami hitched his breath. '_Yeah, you got it. Perfect._ _Yuugi?_'

Yuugi faltered, and Yami watched him close his eyes for a moment, and the strong presence that was Yuugi faded in Yami's mind until it was a hum. Still warm, but distant. '_That was trippy. I must have let go and sent too much of my mind into yours. Yeah, Yami?_'

Yami looked away and stared at the closed doors for a moment before looking back. '_What do I feel like to you in your mind?_'

'_Well_,' Yuugi paused and it was such a long one that Yami didn't think he'd get an answer, '_I guess I can only describe it as a wind, cool and light but strong and powerful at the same time. I don't know whether to say you're like a breeze or a cat in that tense moment before a pounce and- holy shit, was I actually almost poetic just now?_'

Yami couldn't help but laugh at that. Yuugi just watched him for a moment, and then he joined in. They continued until they were almost in tears and gasping for breath. It was either that or faint from the stress right there, in the elevator.

When they had faded to giggles, Yuugi gave a big groan, "We should have just taken the damn stairs."

* * *

"Shit," Seto swore as he saw the singer turn back to look the way he'd come in another bout of paranoia. 

Seto dived behind the nearest building and felt his trench coat bunch up for his trouble. He brushed it irritably down again and peeked out from around his building, his enhanced vision allowing him to see through the dim lighting and spot the singer.

He hissed as he realized he'd hit his head on the brick wall he'd jumped behind. He reached up a hand to rub the bump he could already feel forming as he looked around the corner again.

Seto had yet to see the singer's face, so he was thankful that the singer had a guitar slung over one shoulder; it made following him much easier.

'_What the hell am I doing?_' Seto asked himself again as he ducked under an emergency staircase to keep from being seen. He asked himself the same thing again, but still his mind could think up no legitimate response.

'_Let's face it, I'm stalking the human. Now wouldn't the Tombrobber be proud of me?_' Seto asked himself even as he ducked under an emergency staircase to keep from being seen. '_No, he'd probably just laugh himself sick at the irony_.'

After three or four blocks of following the singer home, Seto had graduated to asking himself why he was stalking a human and whether he planned to stop anytime soon.

A block after that, he was enjoying himself too much to remember that he'd been balking at the idea some time before. It was only when Seto started getting uncharacteristically excited that he realized that it was his Hunger influencing him in his actions. He was, in essence, hunting the human, and by then, too much of his vampire side had taken over his body for him to care.

Seto flitted past a store front with reflective glass and caught a glimpse of himself. He didn't need to see it to know he didn't look human in the least at the moment. His piercing, blue eyes were almost glowing and his pupils had narrowed and elongated themselves to resemble those of a cat. His hair was ruffling in a non-existent wind, lagging a moment in reaction to his movements. If he opened his mouth, he knew he's see his gums receded to show his teeth, and in particular, his fangs, which would also have descended.

The vampire watched the human's shoulders tense again, warning him that he was going to look back, and darted around the corner of the nearest building, landing on an abnormally large window sill, and realized where he'd followed the singer to: the business district.

The people that lived here were either businessmen or ex-businessmen spending the money they'd cheated out of their clients on frivolous things. While the creatures of the dark loved to play about at night and give the people the only scare they were likely to get, their leaders, the Da'kana, didn't come here often. The businessmen's blood was too bitter and dry to enjoy, no matter how much the vampires enjoyed stalking and scaring them.

'_What was the singer doing here?_' he had time to wonder before his Hunger finally overrode everything else. Seto felt what was left of his blood recede from his extremities and pool in the middle of his body, closer to his heart, as his joints stiffened. Then, his pores opened up, soaking in the humid air of the city, as if searching for blood. His eyes darkened to a bloody color and the glow in them dimmed. All that mattered now was- '_Blood'_.

He flexed his legs, and then jumped- a mix between a leap and a dart, it was so quick- to land with his fingers jammed into the wall of the opposite building, listening for the human somewhere ahead. He crawled along the wall, his fingers and feet finding holds and when they couldn't, they made them, until he was looking out over the street he'd left.

The singer had quickened his pace and was now almost jogging to the next intersection, his guitar case bouncing on his back. It couldn't help but excite Seto to see his prey trying to get away. His vampiric side was screaming in his head for him to follow, to stalk, to pounce, to feed. '_To hunt._'

Seto slithered along the wall, his hands and feet barely touching down against the sills and emergency ladders. He made no sound; not even breathing would spoil his game tonight.

The singer had reached the intersection and was crossing it, his shoulders squared, disregarding the eerie feeling of empty sidewalks and streets. The absence of the sound of motors running and wheels on the slick, wet road was disconcerting even to the vampire, blood-crazed as he was, and he briefly felt admiration for this human's trait. Then his blood lust returned with a vengeance.

Seto reaching the intersection and dived off the buildings he'd been hanging off of. He briefly landed on all fours before taking the weight on his legs and straightening, his feet already moving him toward the singer.

'_Closer…closer…_' Seto could smell the blood and already taste it on his tongue, going down his throat, filling him up.

It was at that moment that the human turned around and saw Seto following him, the feral expression on the vampire's face exposing him for what he was. He was still far enough away that he couldn't lunge for the singer, crouching at the curb of the street while the singer was in the middle of it.

But Seto locked gazes with him and watched the singer's jaw slacken as the vampire invaded his mind. Seto straightened then and leisurely smoothed his trench coat and hair, all the while maintaining eye contact with his prey. He smiled lazily as he began walking towards him, a jaunt in his step.

So caught up in his catch and busy congratulating himself on a job well done was Seto, that he didn't even hear the blaring horn of the approaching car until the last second. Then he sprang into action and jumped upward, his enhanced strength carrying him over the roof of the taxi, him watching it speed by beneath him.

Unfortunately, he'd forgotten about the prey under his control. Seto felt the singer's abrupt blossoming of pain and loss of consciousness and cringed. '_Shit…_'

He landed and heard the taxi cab's tires squeal as it hurriedly drove away; he turned to watch the taillights fade into the distance. The vampire in him had surprisingly settled down because of the abrupt interruption and Seto found he didn't feel the Hunger quite so painfully anymore.

He found his voice, "Well, what do you know, I've got myself a hit-and-run victim here," he snorted in amusement. Not in all his thousands of years had he thought he'd have to deal with something as lowly as a hit-and-run. He frowned as he realized, "This is technically my fault; fuck, the council's going to kill me."

He stepped around the human's body and lowered himself to crouch next to his head; he could hear his faint breathing. Seto smoothed the hair back from his face, and turned the human's head to face him. He immediately jumped back and scrambled to his feet, staring down at the prone human in anger.

"What devilry is this?" He shouted, outraged. His words echoed down the street, but no other response came forward. There was nothing left to do but face the fallen human again.

"Shit," Seto said softly.

* * *

1. Avec plaisir - With pleasure 

2. Quoi? - What?

3. Es-tu bon, Yami? - Are you okay, Yami?

4. QUOI? JE PARLE FRANÇAIS MAINTENAINT? QUOI LE FUCK, YAMI? - WHAT? I SPEAK FRENCH NOW? WHAT THE FUCK, YAMI?

5. Je ne sais pas! C'est très bizarre! Tu es raison; quoi le fuck? - I don't know! It's really weird! You're right; what the fuck?

6. M'AIDER! JE NE VEUX PAS PARLER FRANÇAIS! J'AIME MON ANGLAIS! - HELP ME! I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FRENCH! I LIKE MY ENGLISH!

7. Yuugi, dieu-condamne-il! - Yuugi, goddamnit!

8. Wir muessen zusammenarbeiten! - We must work together!

9. Was die Teufel? Jetzt wir sprechen in Deutsch? Das ist Irrsinn! - What the devil? Now we're speaking in German? This is insane!

10. Oh Yuugi, ich weiss - Oh Yuugi, I know

11. Es liegt ein Fluch auf unseren Zungen. Ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass Zeds Freundin dahinter steckt. - There's a curse on our tongues. I am almost certain Zed's girlfriend is responsible.

12. ICH VERSTEHE NICHT WAS DU SAGST, DU FUCKING VAMPIR! - I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU'RE SAYING, YOU FUCKING VAMPIRE!

13.Was machst du in meinem Kopf, Yami? - What are you doing in my head, Yami?

14."Нет...О Фок, русский язык теперь? Я не знаю больше! - No...Oh fuck, Russian now? I don't know anymore.

15. ДА! Конечно, я хочу. Я не хочу остаться говорящим по-русски, Yami. - YES! Of course, I want to. I don't want to be stuck speaking in Russian, Yami.

16. Тогда, что я делаю? - Then, what do I do?


	15. Otherworldly

**A/N**

**Note:** So we've got a Lady who's channeling Morpheus, Yami's oblivious, and Yuugi's a smartass with a big mouth. Oh dear, what've I created? This chapter's mostly Yuugi and Yami-centric. I'll be focusing on Bakura, Ryou and a few others in the next one. -grins-

Oh yeah, and FF(dot)net won't do the page breaks anymore. Bitch.

Enjoy and please **_review_**.

**DARK PASSIONS**

**Chapter 15: Otherworldly  
**

"Why are we still sitting here?" Yuugi muttered in Yami's direction, both of them watching the servant as she marched back down the hallway.

He slumped back against the couch and slid down until he was nearly horizontal. He crossed his arms and glared up at Yami, his gaze clearly saying 'I blame you'.

"We have already been over this," Yami sighed and shifted, jiggling Yuugi in the process. "It is a show of power. By sitting _patiently_, you prove that you have just as much power as she does."

"Oh, I'll give her power alright," Yuugi sneered, "She'll regret making me speak those fucking languages. No one controls me. _No one_."

Yami just sighed again and refrained from pointing out that Yuugi was sitting next to someone who spoke 'those fucking languages'. '_He never _does _care if he insults me_,' Yami concluded while Yuugi eyed him strangely.

"Hey you, Yami," Yuugi snapped. "Stop sitting so straight-backed. I feel lousy enough as it is; don't make it worse."

Yami looked down, the first flashes of his own bad mood going through his eyes. Yuugi didn't notice. "How am I making _your_ bad mood worse, _Yuugi_?"

"You're making me feel like I'm beneath you," Yuugi didn't catch the vampire's nuances. "You always do that. Right now, I feel like I'm a used tissue next to you, this tall, majestic_ pillar of power_."

Yami closed his eyes and silently counted to ten in his head. Yuugi shifted guiltily around in his seat. Yami finally opened his mouth to respond but Yuugi interrupted.

"I'm pushing my own issues again, aren't I?" Yuugi looked up at the vampire through his bangs.

Yami had a moment in which he realized he was dominating the conversation. He then realized that whatever he said next would make or break the flimsy friendship he had with Yuugi. Another long moment passed between them in silence.

"I should spank you," Yami finally replied, a smirk on his lips as Yuugi looked up at him, surprised. He opened his mouth but nothing came out; for once, the human had no quick-witted reply handy.

Yami slowly slid down the seat until he was mirroring Yuugi, whose eyes got even bigger. He still didn't know what to say, and Yami knew he was enjoying having the upper hand entirely too much.

"What's the matter, Yuugi?" Yami's eyes glittered with suppressed mirth. "Cat got your tongue? Or would that _vampire_, in this case?"

Yuugi opened and closed his mouth a few times, cleared his throat, and didn't notice that his face had gone red. He settled for turning away from the vampire and staring at the other end of the long corridor they were sitting in.

Yami finally let a deep-throated chuckle out and reached over with one hand to turn Yuugi's face back to him. "Hasn't anyone ever told you it is rude not to face whom you're speaking to?"

To that, Yuugi had a comeback already on his lips, but when Yami turned him back, he'd brought his own face closer. The end result was that they were only inches apart.

Yami listened as Yuugi's heartbeat sped up and his breathing became shallower, his own breathing quickening. Maybe it was his imagination, but time seemed to slow down until all he could focus on was the human in front of him.

The sound of the servant's shoes clicking on the floor brought Yami abruptly back first and he moved back from Yuugi, who was blinking wildly. The servant came to an abrupt stop in front of them, her military background increasingly apparent.

"My lady will see you now," she said briskly. Without another word, she swiveled on her heel and began walking back down the corridor.

Yami just raised his eyebrows and stood up to follow when he noticed Yuugi still sitting on the couch stubbornly.

'_We don't have time for this_,' Yami frowned and quick as lightning, hooked his arm under Yuugi's elbow, dragging him to his feet. Yami threw an arm around Yuugi's shoulder and began walking forward, his inhuman strength forcing Yuugi to move along with him.

Yami managed to keep Yuugi moving all the way down the corridor before Yuugi shook himself loose with a dirty look and continued walking alone. They reached the end of the corridor and followed the servant through a set of old wooden doors into a dimly lit anteroom.

They hesitated near the doors and surveyed the room. Then a breathy, slightly hoarse voice called through the open doors at the other end. "_Come in, my dears. Come in, come in."_

"Said the Wicked Witch," Yuugi muttered just loud enough for Yami to elbow him in the side. The vampire took the lead and walked into the main room with all the arrogance that being Da'kana gave him, Yuugi on his heels. Neither jumped when the doors shut behind them suddenly, much more preoccupied with what was around them.

The room was dominated by a large, four-poster bed that was decorated with an elaborate bedspread and canopy, tassels hanging down from it and shading the occupant from sight. Underneath their feet was a thick, Arabic-looking rug with its own tassels on the ends; where it ended, it exposed a glossy, hardwood floor. Along one wall was a large window behind ceiling-to-floor curtains made out of red velvet that caught the light prettily. The entire room was a feast for the eyes.

Yami and Yuugi walked around to stand to one side of the bed, the vampire calmly watching the shifting figure in the shadow of the bed's canopy while the human began to fidget impatiently. Yami barely restrained from rolling his eyes at him. '_You'd think all this effort wasn't to help him with his own powers._'

"I am Lady Meredith. The Devil in the details, Sorceress of the night, Keeper of the old knowledge, Child of the moon, and Seeker of The One Way. I am Lady Meredith," she spoke slowly, in a deep voice.

"Poetic, aren't you?" Yuugi replied wryly. Yami quickly pushed him behind his back and squeezed Yuugi's wrist to stop him from saying anything else. Coincidently, it was the wrist with the Mark, and Yuugi suddenly began to feel a burning sensation. Yuugi stopped struggling against Yami in favor of nursing his arm.

Yami turned back to the Lady and bowed with his head, keeping his eyes on her the entire time. "I am Yami, prince of the Da'kana of this city. I have with me my Marked, Yuugi." He spoke formally; mirroring the formal introduction they'd been given. "Lady Meredith, how have I not heard of you before?"

"Frankly, I'd be surprised if you had," the Lady answered, dropping all airs and formality without warning. Yuugi was too busy rubbing his wrist to pay attention to what was going on. "I just got here a couple of weeks ago. You could say that I'm touring the Da'kana cities." She continued with a grin.

Yami raised an eyebrow. "Funny, a wizard by the name of Zed said that you'd been around for months."

"Well then," she shrugged and sipped her tea. "Guess he was exaggerating, wasn't he?"

Yami and Yuugi shared a look.

"And don't call me Lady Meredith. It's Merry," she added, scooting forward out of the shadow of the canopy and looking up at them from the bed. The light showed an aging, pixy-like face with dark brown curls waving every which way around her face. Her eyes were an even darker brown, and at passing glance, her pupils weren't visible, her eyes were so dark.

"Say, you're giving my neck a crick like that. Have a seat, why don't ya." Merry waved her hand, and he turned around to see a couch sliding across the floor toward the bed.

Yuugi looked up then and noticed the moving couch. "Well what do you know? We finally find someone who gives good hospitality. Though it is a bit late," he plopped down first on the couch and rubbed the spot next to him half-jokingly. "Come on, Yami. Get that stick out of your ass and sit down."

Yami inhaled and was about to reprimand Yuugi. Of course, it was only for appearance's sake; he was actually struggling not to laugh out loud at the human's informality. Yami didn't actually mind Yuugi's disregard for his status like he would from another vampire.

Merry leaned forward on her bed and moved more into the light, "Ooh, I like you, Yuugi. You're like a breath of fresh air after all the pompous pricks I've met."

Yuugi gave her a suspicious look. "Either I've missed Yami giving you my name or you've read my mind. I hope it's the first because if it's the second, I'm not ashamed to throw a hissy fit. I'm really sick of people reading my mind. I get enough of that with _him_," Yuugi looked over at Yami as he sat down beside him on the couch.

"It's my lucky day then; it was the first," Merry laughed again. "What can I do for you, gentlemen?"

There was silence for a bit. Neither Yuugi nor Yami had thought ahead this far. Yuugi finally spoke, "I don't know how to sugarcoat this so I'm just going to say it: I have some hotshot power – that I don't even want or need, frankly – and according to Yami here and Zed, if I don't figure out some way to control it, I'm going to be like some huge magnet attracting every power-hungry rat that gets a whiff of my AWESOME POWER."

"Somehow, I get the feeling that you don't really believe that," Merry looked at him, her gaze giving him the impression that she was looking into his soul through his eyes. "I think you're wondering what the hell you're doing here since, in your eyes, you don't need any help. In fact, you don't think you're in the least bit of danger. This – it must be – some elaborate trick."

Yuugi regarded her with suspicion for a moment, "Are you sure you're not reading my mind?"

"Quite," she replied simply and looked at Yami. "And what power is this?"

Yami answered quietly, "He has the power of Eclipse."

Merry's eyebrows disappeared into the dark tangle of hair on her head. She turned back to Yuugi, "Do you know what that means, boy?"

He crossed his arms and raised his own eyebrows back at her, "Apparently not."

Merry spared a moment to '_tsk_' at Yami before settling herself back on the pillows. "It means, dear Yuugi, that Eclipse has given you his power. And you not even _Da'k_! How did this happen?"

Yami shook his head, "I do not know. He came with his power already; I only helped him unlock it."

"Can I break into this little morose discussion here for a moment?" Yuugi interjected. "Who exactly IS Eclipse?"

The Lady and vampire shared a look before Yami cleared his throat. "What you have to understand, Yuugi, is that Eclipse was not exactly good. Nor did he always have his power."

"So?" Yuugi prompted.

"Eclipse was once a High Priest in the time when I was still Da'sara-"

"And Pharaoh," Yuugi interjected, still slightly sore for not having been told.

"-Yes, and Pharaoh. He had a weakness, a greed for power. No, it was a lust. He lusted after power. Eclipse finally accumulated enough power to overtake the throne. And he did.-"

"He did more than that," Merry interrupted him this time. "Hell, Yuugi, Eclipse was such a badass that he had the empire in a war with itself for decades. When it got so bad that the people couldn't hold themselves up, let alone their ruler, he went for the throne-"

"And he would have had it, too. If certain powers had not been called and put into alliance," Yami jumped in again. "Eclipse went into the afterlife, and Osiris cast him into eternal hell, but not before he managed to send out one, last curse."

Yuugi shook himself out of the pictures their words had brought, "Curse?"

"His power was too big to take back apart into the things which made it, you understand?" Merry asked and Yuugi nodded. "Osiris will swallow it for a time but it _will_ come back up periodically and be born back into this world."

"The strange thing about you having it, Yuugi," Yami continued, "is that you're Da'sara. Human. This power should seek someone strong, most likely Da'kana, to inflict the most damage to the ones who are in the living world.

"And it chose little, old me," Yuugi concluded, then blinked. "Oh, I'm just loving this."

Merry clapped her hands and broke the silence that had descended. "Now, who wants tea?"

**xXx**

Seto landed on the next building's roof top and turned to face the wind, searching for the unique smell of antiseptics and gauze that was the hospital. A first for him: being a vampire and healing at abnormal rates, he hadn't thought he'd need to pay any visits to the hospital ever. Another first: he was wrong.

But that wasn't what was bothering the vampire; going to find a hospital was the least of his problems right then. What _was_ bothering him was that he'd felt it necessary to take the human along with him. No, not exactly. He'd picked up the unconscious singer and slung him over his shoulder before he knew what he was doing and now, he couldn't force himself to put the human down.

'_Pathetic, really_,' he told himself. '_Put the human down somewhere and the Council will have to prove it was you. If you're the one who brings him into the hospital, you might as well be shouting from the rooftops 'It was me!'.' _He could see how levelheaded that sounded, how practical…Yet, he still couldn't put the human down. He just couldn't. '_Yeah,' _he concluded,_ 'you're screwed._'

_There._

He caught the smell somewhere to his left. He flexed his legs and lifted off the building, leaning his body in the direction of the next building's roof.

Seto misjudged the distance between buildings and landed slightly harder than he intended; the human he was carrying grunted painfully with the landing and he had a moment of panic where the vampire thought the singer had awoken.

But no, he had not. Seto gave a sigh of relief before he realized what he was doing. He straightened and gave himself a mental shake. '_None of that_,' he told himself…then admonished himself for talking to himself. Then just gave up completely. Thankfully, the remaining trip to the hospital passed with little incident until he arrived at his destination.

He walked through the sliding glass doors and walked up to the receptionist at the desk, ignoring or not noticing the stares from the other patients waiting.

Lowering his head until he could see the startled woman through the glass, he spoke, "This hum- He needs your help. I do not know how hurt he is."

The receptionist gathered enough wits to put her glasses on and scramble together the necessary paperwork to admit the singer to the hospital. "Y-you will need to fill out these forms to his insurance, his medical coverage- if it's a different type of insurance, and you'll also have to state your relationship to this man so the appropriate form may be given for that, as well. I assume you are his boyfriend, Mister…?"

Seto growled and shifted until the singer was supported on his left arm. He swiped the rather thick stack of papers out of her hand and leaned forward, leaning his weight on his hand.

"I don't have TIME for this," Seto growled. "Do you know who I am?" His voice was rising and becoming clearer to the would-be patients listening behind them.

The receptionist shook her head warily and pushed her glasses up her nose. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't."

"I am Seto Kaiba," he continued, his voice carrying down the hall and into the staff lounge room where several receptionists and security guards were on a break. "CEO of Kaiba Corp and I demand a doctor attend to this human right away" –he narrowed his eyes at the receptionist- "or this establishment will see its way to hell as fast as I can get it there."

"Now, now, Mr. Kaiba," a nervous, male voice answered from behind him and Seto turned to see a doctor making his way down the hall toward him, a door marked 'STAFF' swinging shut behind him. "There's no reason to go to those extremes. If you'll just put him down on this cot here, I'll do all I can for your boyfriend."

"No, I will not," Seto growled but followed him down the hall with the singer still in his arms. "And he's not my boyfriend. Where are you leading me?"

"For an MRI scan for your boyf- the young man with you, Mr. Kaiba," the doctor called over his shoulder as he stopped in front of an elevator and turned to eye the singer. "By the looks of the bruising already appearing on his left temple, I'd say there's been some trauma to the head."

When Seto didn't have a ready response, the doctor nodded to himself and turned back toward the elevator as it dinged its arrival.

They rode the elevator in silence, both staring at opposite walls.

The silence became almost bearable until they reached the doors of the MRI ward.

"Put the young man down on this table here, Mr. Kaiba and we'll just step into the next room-" The doctor began pleasantly but Seto interrupted.

"What are you going to do? Why is he being left alone in this room?" Seto's voice became more heated as he went on, "He needs medical attention right this minute and it'll be your head if he doesn't get it!"

"Mr. Kaiba," the doctor remained calm, used to this sort of behavior, "Apparently you haven't been in a hospital often or you would understand that that machine is one that'll take an MRI scan of his brain. This will allow me to assess the damage, if any, done to his head and what may be done to remedy the problem."

He took a breath and waited for more questions from the CEO. None came. "Now, if you please, place him gently on the table. I'm asking you to trust me, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto hesitated, standing over the table and glancing back and forth between the doctor and the machine. In all his years, he'd trusted few humans. They had a habit of either betraying or dying on him. But something called to him now and nudged him into making his decision.

With a soft sigh, Seto placed the singer gently on the table and followed the doctor out of the room, glancing back only once as he went through the door.

**xXx**

"I did not think you would know so much about the Egypt of the past," Yami was watching Merry closely as she poured his tea. "Most of those in our world do not find the past necessary to live in the present."

"But it _is_ necessary if you want to have a future," Merry rebutted, moving over to fill Yuugi's outstretched cup. "And I'm not like most. I don't like being the same as everyone else."

"Good for you," Yuugi raised his cup to her and followed the gesture by bringing the cup to his lips. The next moment, he cried out and would have dropped the cup of Merry hadn't been forewarned and levitated it off the ground.

"I'd assumed you wouldn't need the standard 'careful, it's hot,' wise as you are," Merry said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, excuse me if tea isn't my usual, uh…cup of tea," he finished lamely. Then remembered what he'd been going to say before, and frowned. "Merry, I've got something on my mind that maybe you can help me with."

"What's that, Yuugi?" Merry replied, her eyes glittering as she settling back against the pillows surrounding one of the canopy's posts.

"What the hell was with making me and Yami here speak those languages in the elevator? What kind of 'show of power' was that?" he asked, glancing at Yami at the end.

"Actually, no one forced me to speak," Yami broke in. Yuugi stopped talking and looked at him. Yami couldn't help but smirk. "I happen to speak '_those_' languages."

Merry chortled. "What did you expect, Yuugi dearest? Here's a vampire who's been around for three thousand years or so…and you expected him to stick to one language? Lord, I don't even know what they spoke in Egypt in the past but it certainly wasn't what we're speaking now."

"Not my fault if I find that hard to swallow," Yuugi muttered before taking a more cautious sip of his tea. "Answer my question."

Merry grinned lazily. "Say please."

Yuugi gritted his teeth and glanced at Yami's carefully blank face, but got no help from him. "Please."

Merry sipped her own tea before carefully setting it on its saucer. "To be honest, I wasn't planning on doing anything of the sort. Your power, Yuugi, that I now know is the power of Eclipse, called to mine."

"Called?" Yuugi raised an eyebrow, determined to keep hold of his indignation even as he felt it slipping away, watching Merry's puzzlement.

"Yes, called. It woke my power up, for lack of a better word. And then it started sucking it away," she watched him, "calling it to yours. Like a magnet. Naturally, I fought back the only way that I could think of: confusion."

Yuugi opened and closed his jaw, at a loss for words again. "I…didn't do it on purpose," he finally managed.

"I know that now, meeting you," she replied grumpily, taking another sip of her tea. Then she seemed to remember Yami and turned her attention to him. "You've been quiet, prince Yami," she remarked, addressing him by name for the first time and using his title.

"Just Yami, Merry, thank you." For once, the vampire looked uncomfortable but he cleared his throat and smoothed his face over into his blank mask again. "The reason we came to you was that you were recommended to us by the wizard, Zed. He spoke highly of you, and we thought you would be able to help us."

"He spoke highly of me," Merry tried to brush it off as a small thing but Yuugi caught her blush before she turned away. Thankfully, he spared her with his teasing. '_Too easy_,' he thought.

"You have witnessed firsthand the trouble that Yuugi's power will bring him. That is, unless he learns to control it," Yami continued. "Would you do us the honor of teaching him the control that he needs?"

Merry pursed her lips, her gaze switching back and forth between them as she thought. She didn't miss a chance to drink her tea, and she finished her cup before she'd made a decision.

Yuugi spent the time watching her to stave away boredom. He managed to hide his surprise when her face seemed to change in front of his eyes and grow older, more wrinkles appeared and her skin became paler, but her hair remained as bushy and brown as ever. He then remembered how Yami had told him that some vampires liked to put on a glamour to hide their true appearance.

When Yuugi had asked him why, Yami had replied, "Some are vain and do not want to look ugly. Some just want to show off their power. And some want you to underestimate them."

Looking at the older, but still striking Merry, Yuugi figured it was a combination of all three.

Finally, Merry sighed and shook her head. "Alright," she spoke gruffly. "I'll take you, Yuugi. Just 'cause your cute."

Yuugi felt tension go out of him that he hadn't even known was there and gave a small sigh of relief. He was surprised when he heard Yami echo him.

Yami started to thank her but Merry cut him off. "There are some things I've got to say up front, Yuugi. One is that this is not going to be an easy or quick thing. It's not one of those appointments at a hair salon where you walk in and an hour or two later walk out better looking. It's more like a hike up a mountain. It is hard work but you're still going up the whole time."

Yuugi swallowed and nodded, "How long are we talking about here?"

"About two years is my guess," Merry sighed.

"Two years?" Yuugi felt lightheaded. He slumped over on Yami's side of the couch. Yami didn't seem to mind; he shifted until he was holding Yuugi up with his shoulder.

"And that brings me my second point: I'm not going to be staying in this city the entire time. Like I said, I'm touring the Da'kana cities," Merry continued gently, aware of the effect of her words. "You would have to come with me for me to continue teaching you. You'd pay your own way by assisting in rituals, spells, and other fun things I'll be doing."

Yuugi got off Yami and cleared his throat. "Do I have time to…to make sure this is my final decision?"

Merry smiled at him, "Of course, dear. I'll be leaving this city in three days' time. Come to me then-"

She was abruptly cut off as her servant threw open the bedroom doors and rushed into the room.

"My lady," she bowed hastily, "Your crowd control expertise is needed at a night club in the Red District."

Merry straightened and put down her cup. "What's the name of this club?"

The servant bowed again. "Where's Your Head, my lady."

"Where is it?" Merry blinked. "Well, my head's where it's always been. On my neck, imagine that."

Yuugi perked up. "Where's Your Head? Ah fuck, I forgot: it opened tonight! No doubt Ryou's there with Bakura." –His eyes widened- "'Crowd control'? Don't tell me it's yet _another_ bar-fight-turned-mob."

Merry raised an eyebrow. "I see you've had experience with those." She threw off the covers and got to her feet, brushing off invisible lint and dirt. She was only a couple of inches taller than Yuugi, and not as tall as Yami, but the way she carried herself made her seem taller than she was.

"Why don't you come with me then?" she asked them as her servant helped her into a black fur coat that reached to her knees. She stepped into black boots that disappeared until a long, grey skirt that reached her ankles. "Help me out, why don't you?"

Something finally hit Yami: "Did you say 'Bakura', Yuugi? _The_ Bakura?"

Yuugi gave him an exasperated look. "Ignoring the fact that almost everyone in the red district knows Bakura, how many people do _you_ know named 'Bakura'?"

Yami grinned at him, "I guess that name was more popular in a different time."

Merry was leaning against the door with a knowing smile. "So you coming?"

Yuugi marched passed her with a growing glower. "They better not have started another brawl. I barely kept the bartender from pressing charges last time. Bakura is such a bad influence…"

He continued walking down the hallway towards the servant who'd stopped at a pair of large, open windows. Yami and Merry stared at his back before Merry chuckled and closed the door behind them, fishing a key out of her coat's pocket to lock the door.

"Wouldn't you take offense to his ignoring you?" Yami asked, realizing that she, like him, reacted differently to Yuugi than most others of their world would.

Merry put her hands in her pockets as they walked side-by-side toward the impatient Yuugi and equally impatient servant, though she tried to hide it well.

"Would you?" Merry answered.

"No, I wouldn't," Yami was forced to admit. "But I don't know why."

'And therein lies your challenge," Merry replied. At his puzzled look, she added, "When you understand why it doesn't bother you, you'll solve quite a few things that are, shall we say, up in the air."

"You seem to know a lot about us after only one meeting," Yami observed, as they came within hearing of Yuugi's rant to the servant.

"I'm just good at reading people," she gave a shrug and walked through the window doors, Yami and Yuugi following. The servant gave another bow and closed the glass doors behind them.

Yuugi looked around them and noticed that they were standing on a circular balcony. "Why are we on a b-"

"Hush, dear," Merry chided, walking over to the railing of the balcony. Yami took a step forward and Yuugi saw the round gate that was built into it. The railing and gate were wrought iron and a dull, black color, curiously sucking in the moonlight instead of reflecting it.

Yami inhaled sharply and took another step forward toward the gate; both Yuugi and Merry noticed his sudden interest.

"Ah, Yami," Merry noticed. "I see you've seen one of these before."

"Seen? No. Heard of? Oh yes," Yami replied distractedly. "In all my many years, I did not think I would see one of these. Only a few very gifted and skilled sorceresses were thought to be able to make one of these."

"Why, thank you," Merry chuckled, "Now stand back, please."

She raised a hand to the top of the gate and swirled her hand around; Yuugi gaped as the fancy iron work seemingly melted and reformed into a spike pointing up. Merry passed a hand over the left side of the gate and it reformed too to form a spike pointing out from the middle. She did the same with the other side. Yuugi blinked; no, he wasn't hallucinating.

Merry backed away from the gate and raised her hands almost in prayer in front of her, but she kept her palms from touching. Gradually, they began to shine brighter and brighter. When Yuugi began wondering why they neighboring buildings hadn't come out to see what was going on, the light left Merry's hands and landed on the newly formed spikes, setting them aglow.

The next moment, distant thunder sounded and the entire gate began to glow a silvery, white color. Merry clapped her hands then and all the light sucked into the middle, filling the center of the gate with a light that almost looked touchable.

She lowered her hands and took a step back, turning towards the wide-eyed Yuugi and the fascinated Yami.

"Well?" She was slightly out of breath. "Shall we?"


	16. Big Gun

_BIG GUN_

* * *

"Bartender, two of your special this way," Bakura called as he leaned on the counter. He turned around and spotted Ryou in the crowd of fans they'd left on the dance floor. Ryou was in no immediate danger but Bakura still felt his over protectiveness kicking in. He grabbed the two bottles sliding across the counter toward him and pushed off, his frown becoming more prominent the more effort it took to push through the crowd toward Ryou. 

When he finally reached him, Bakura passed him a bottle and glared at the girls hanging off Ryou's arm until they noticed and backed away. He turned the glare behind them and warded off another couple of dancers who'd been approaching, struggling not to smile and break his glare when they stopped short. Bakura made his glare scarier until the entire crowd backed off and gave them some breathing room.

He turned back to see Ryou smiling at him, exasperated. "Come on, Big Tough Boyfriend. Let's go sit down."

Bakura opened his mouth and closed it at Ryou's words. "I was about to suggest that," he complained to Ryou's back as he led them toward a table in the corner. "Get out of my head."

Ryou looked back with a smirk, "And where would you prefer I be, your bed?"

Bakura grinned. "Yes, out of my head and into my bed."

They took a seat on opposite sides of the table and took a large swig of their beer simultaneously.

Bakura eyed Ryou, "Hey love, what do you say to a little drinking game?"

Ryou thought for a moment, wiping his mouth. "Sounds like fun. Rules?"

"Winner's the one who signals he's finished by turning his bottle upside down first. The rest have to turn their bottle upside down then too, no matter how much beer is left in the bottle." Bakura explained then looked around the club, "This would be more fun if we had more players…"

At that moment, the pair of dancers who had vied for attention with Bakura and Ryou, and had lost in the end, walked up to their table. Ryou glanced out of the corner of his eyes to see if Bakura had been as surprised as he was by their approach and found that the vampire was grinning evilly and trying to hide it.

"Ladies! Wonderful dancing out there," Bakura greeted enthusiastically. "So nice to finally meet our adversaries, isn't it, Ryou?"

Ryou nodded while nudging Bakura under the table in question. He wasn't responding. Ryou then began to fear that Bakura was planning yet another scheme. Ryou refrained from shaking his head. 'At least this should be entertaining.'

"Care to join myself and Ryou here for a drink?" Bakura reseated himself next to Ryou and faced the girls as they sat down. "This is Ryou, the hottest thing in this city, and I am Bakura, a living legend. And you are?"

Ryou blushed as one of the girls snorted, then eyed him and Bakura.

"The name's Diana and this icicle next to me is Rain," The one that eyed them spoke up. She had straight, black hair and was wearing thick, black eyeliner, as well as bronze jewelry, giving her a striking resemblance to an ancient Egyptian. Bakura did a double take. The girl grinned slightly and leaned forward. "Before you get any funny ideas, this chick's with me and only I can insult her. Kapeesh?"

"Rain?" Bakura gave a deep chuckle and lowered his head until he was eye-level with the girl sitting next to Diana. "What an unusual name. Where ever did you get it?"

"I named her," Diana cut in. When Bakura looked at her askance, she just winked at him, and he sat back in his seat, his arm snaking around Ryou's waist under the table.

"What do you say to a little drinking game?" Bakura repeated what he'd said to Ryou, and after a moment's thought, Diana shrugged, saying she had nothing more to lose. Bakura wondered what that choice of words meant but again, refrained from saying anything.

Ryou meanwhile looked at the silent Rain intently, willing her to say something. There was something slightly eerie about her silence. With blond hair so blond, it was almost white, eyes so black, they swallowed up her pupils, and translucent skin, the absence of words from her mouth was even more apparent.

Rain sat silently, with a half-smile on her lips. So still was she that only the periodic sighs she made showed that she was breathing. She wouldn't even turn her head to meet Ryou's gaze but continued to look up at Diana, her eyes sliding to Bakura from time to time. Never back to Ryou.

What was confusing Ryou most of all was her aura; or rather, the lack of one. Being a Seer, he should have been able to see a lively fire surrounding her, growing and dimming with her emotions, but when he looked at Rain, all he saw was the wall behind her. Wait. There was a slight shimmer in the air directly above her head, as if a heat wave. Ryou blinked to make sure he wasn't seeing things- and was suddenly jolted back to the present as Bakura called more drinks over to their table.

"Wait," Diana interrupted Bakura. "We should have some type of prize for the winner. Otherwise, what's the point of winning?"

Bakura gave her a look. "Well, besides being the winner, you have the ability to gloat and the right to call the loser a, well, loser. Oh yeah, did I mention you get to be the winner?"

Diana shrugged. "Still."

"Alright, alright. But only because I like booze." Bakura paused in thought. "How about winner gets-"

"That's a nice necklace you're wearing," Diana interrupted again, eyeing the golden pyramid in a ring around Bakura's neck. "How about winner gets that?"

"And what if I win?" Bakura replied. "I can't very well get my own jewelry, now can I?"

Diana stopped to think about that.

"How about you answer, truthfully, any questions I ask you for the rest of tonight?" Bakura suggested as the idea hit him. 'Bakura, you're good,' he praised himself.

"There'll have to be a limit to how many questions you can ask." Diana narrowed her eyes, "That is, if you even win, of course."

"How about fifteen?" Bakura offered.

"Ten," Diana countered.

"Deal," Bakura grinned widely. "Shall we begin then?"

"Say the word." Diana and Bakura clicked bottles, not noticing that Rain and Ryou had refrained from joining in and had matching expressions that read 'this should be entertaining' on their faces.

"Nipples," Bakura replied, and promptly began chugging. Diana was so surprised that she stared at him for a moment before remembering the game, snatching the bottle off the table and shoving it into her mouth.

"Done," Bakura called, turning his bottle upside down and frowning as Diana did the same and an insubstantial amount of beer dripped out of hers.

She grinned at him. "Next?"

He slid a bottle across to her, ripping the cap off his own with his teeth, stuck it in his own mouth, and leaned his head back until the chair was rocking precariously on its hind legs.

"Done," He called again and slammed the chair's legs back into the floor. This time, only a few drops of beer leaked out of Diana's bottle.

"Next."

Bakura grinned back at her this time, his respect going up for a girl that could chug her liquor. Now he knew he was going to have to step up his game. 'Time to bring out the big guns', he said to himself.

He slid another bottle across to Diana, and nodded to her. Then, he proceeded to exhale until he couldn't exhale anymore, and began inhaling the beer. Rain blinked rapidly in shock while Ryou leaned back in his own chair with a smile. Now this was the Bakura who'd won drinking game after drinking game. There were no other words for it except unbelievable. Instead of breathing air back into his lungs, Bakura seemed to have substituted the air with booze. And it was working incredibly well.

"Done," Bakura proclaimed as he turned his empty bottle over the table and laughed at Diana's expression as she tried to do the same and a third of the bottle spilled out.

He slid her yet another bottle, holding back another laugh at Diana's heartbroken look over the wasted beer. "There's no use crying over spilt milk, or in this case, spilt beer, Diana," he chortled. "Here, have another."

She immediately began chugging the beer while Bakura exhaled again, and proceeded to inhale the entire bottle in one gulp. He held his empty one out over the table and watched as Diana did the same with hers and her face skewed up in horror as half of the bottle emptied itself out.

"Okay, okay!" Diana exclaimed, breathless. "I fold. You win, Bakura. I just can't stand to see so much good beer go to waste." And with that, she opened a new bottle and didn't stop until it was empty. She finished, slumped against Rain while Bakura leaned back in his chair, one hand on his stomach and one around Ryou's waist and in his pocket.

"And now, my prize," Bakura smirked. Diana looked up at him, all set to send him packing, when their agreement came back to her.

"Shit." Diana winced then; she looked at Rain, and shielding her face with her hair, silently asked her if it was okay with her. She knew it was belated, but Rain was used to her one-track mind when it came to winning. Rain nodded slowly and Diana smiled back.

"Not here," Diana told Bakura. "You'll get your prize, but not here."

"Fair enough," Bakura nodded. "I know just the place. Follow me."

He stood up with his arm still around Ryou and calmly walked towards a spiral staircase with a sign hanging over it: 'PRIVATE XXX SHOWROOMS'.

Diana stopped short upon seeing it, her eyes narrowing, and tightened her arm around Rain. "Whatever you're thinking of, sir, I'd think again. Your prize, last I recall, wasn't a lap dance."

Bakura turned back around with an incredulous expression on his face.

"Lady, are you serious? Does this"- he indicated Ryou -"not mean anything? I thought it was obvious enough but apparently not. Here, I'll say it plainly: I don't do chicks, darling. Ryou, here, is my daily fuck, and all I really need.

And the reason, dear Diana, that we are going up to these rooms is because you wanted some goddamn privacy. Remember?"

Bakura turned back and let Ryou precede him up the stairs; he didn't glance back to see if Diana and Rain were following.

Diana just stood there with her mouth open and Rain, silent as always, beside her.

She turned to the paler girl, "Well, I've screwed myself over, haven't I?"

* * *

The room…was white; nothing but white. EVERYTHING WAS FUCKING WHITE. 

Seto jerked up from his bedside vigilance and began pacing the length of the room again; it was exactly twelve paces across. He knew; he'd counted last time. He also knew that the width of the room was seven paces; that the rolling table was too far out and tripped him every time he walked by; that he was too distracted to move the table out of his way after tripping over it; and- Where was the fucking doctor?

Seto let out an expletive as he tripped over the leg of the table yet again, but his eyes fell upon the comatose human lying in the bed and he immediately quieted. Pursing his lips, he walked around to the side of the bed and sat down in his chair again, his eyes tracing the singer's now-familiar face.

He should have left after the tests had been sent off for results. He should have left after leaving the human with that doctor. Hell, he should have just left him in that street to die; one more human dead wouldn't really matter, right?

Seto stood up and resumed his pacing.

There was no changing what he'd already done. He was already there at the hospital, wasn't he? Fuck, he was right there next to the singer; you couldn't get any closer than that! Well, actually, you could, Seto's mind told him; he stopped short and looked at the figure on the bed again.

"Why did I save you?" Seto murmured to himself. He was standing beside the bed before he knew it and looking down at the sleeping face. His arm came out to touch the face before he knew what he was doing; Seto snatched it back and sat down hard.

A nurse wheeled a cart past the room, and Seto turned to eye the closed door. He waited until the squeaking wheels were out of even his enhanced hearing before he relaxed. The singer shifted in his sleep and Seto's attention shifted back to him; he moved- did that mean he was going to be all right? Seto asked himself.

"I don't know why I saved you," he whispered fiercely; his whole body tensed and he shuddered, feeling sweat slide down his back.

"But I do know why I saved you," he admitted in defeat. As if in answer to the truth, his body relaxed and he sank back in his seat with a broken sigh. "You look just like him."

The singer shifted again, his brow furrowing.

"Why do you look like him?" Seto hissed, as if in pain. "You're not him. It's not possible."

But it was possible; the proof was moving around on the bed in front of him. Seto realized then that the human was breathing raggedly and turned from side to side on the bed. Before the vampire could think of a course of action, the singer arched up off the bed and screamed.

Seto forgot his promise to himself not to touch the human and grabbed the singer by his shoulders, trying to support him any way he could. The singer's screams cut off abruptly then, and he began to shake and shudder in Seto's hold. At a loss, Seto just tried to hold him tighter.

Finally, that too, stopped, and the singer hung limply against Seto's chest and pounding heart. The vampire was trying to slow down his breathing and relax, when the singer moaned. Seto jerked and looked down at him, his heart speeding up again despite his attempts to slow it.

Eyes slowly opened and looked up at the vampire. A moment of strange, familiar recognition later, the singer gave him a huge smile, "Seto!"

The vampire choked.

* * *

To Joe, the bartender, the opening of the new club, Where's Your Head, was a success. The music was good, the bass booming, the dancers showing off their skills on the dance floor, and the liquor free flowing. Yep, he told himself, it was a success, all right. 

A few minutes later, his good mood vanished like a puff of smoke when the Dragons arrived.

The first sign they were coming was the low rumbling underfoot. Joe thought it was only the bass of the music as always; but he quickly changed his mind as the mugs and bottles behind the bar began to shake, glass tinkling and drinks sloshing.

Looking around, he saw that he was the only one who had noticed; the others at the bar were too busy drowning themselves in alcohol. Joe swallowed hard. He began frantically looking around the club, hoping to spot the manager on duty. Unfortunately, he didn't find her; and worse still, even if he had found her, she wouldn't have been much help; no one was against the dark majesty and power that the Dragons had and the energy they carried with them, like that of a crouching animal in that moment before it attacks.

They were like a raging torrent of water, as impossible as that seemed of a motorcycle gang; but there it was. And that torrent looked like it was coming to the club.

Why? Joe asked himself. Because it was opening night, and no one can resist claiming a club as their own on its opening night.

The sound of yet another bottle being broken at one of the tables pierced the music, but Joe ignored it. That was a small problem on the scale of things; one that wouldn't matter once hell-on-wheels arrived.

Speak of the devil, Joe told himself as at that moment it became certain something was happening. Lights began to flicker and the music grew quieter, until the melody was all but extinguished and only the beat kept feeding the dancers. The tinkling of the glass grew to a rattling that got the attention of even the drunkest fool sitting at the bar, and they all stopped talking at once. The silence grew to fill the club as a whole and then-

A huge explosion of sound rushed through the club and echoed off the walls. A loud scream of abandon sounded from outside; a call of one feral being to another; the warning of a Dragon to his prey.

The main club doors burst inward; the leader of the gang had kicked them open. In silence, he surveyed the crowd, a wolfish grin on his lips. Tall, spiked, blond hair topped his head, and it was fitting. As his head swiveling from side to side, the spikes followed behind a moment later, creating a menacing halo around him. One of the girls sitting at the bar jerked in her seat and the leader's gaze snapped to her, eyes only for movement in the club. The girl gasped as she saw his eyes, a deep, hypnotic violet that seemed to pierce her soul as she sat there; the girl fainted.

The leader snorted, and shouted over his shoulder for the rest of the gang.

"Looks like we're having us a party tonight, boys!" he laughed throatily. He stopped laughing when no one else laughed along with him, waiting for something. "Well? Get back to partying, bitches."

The music hurriedly started back up as the rest of the gang walked through the doors, each intimidating but none as imposing as the leader had been. And still was.

He'd marched across the edge of the dance floor all the way to the bar, and leaned against it, leering at the bartender. Poor Joe was shaking in his uniform.

"Do you know who I am, sonny?" The leader asked lazily, a glint in his eye. He didn't wait for the bartender to answer. "I lead these dipshits that call themselves the Dragons. I'm Yami fucking M, fool. And you'd do well to give me a drink before I smash your face in and get it myself."

"Of course, sir," Joe stuttered and whirled about to get a glass. He ran into a problem just after that.

"Sir?" He tried to get the leader's attention; he was currently eyeing the dancers on the dance floor, who were moving self-consciously with his gaze on them.

"Yami M?" Joe tried again. That caught the leader's attention.

"Mortals will not address me by name," the leader told the bartender, an expression of distain on his face. "You will refer to me as the evil boozer of the universe."

The bartender's eyes widened in surprise; he didn't exactly know how to digest that. "Evil Boozer of the Universe?" -The leader nodded regally in acknowledgement- "What drink would you like?"

"And here I thought it'd be obvious," The leader sighed in exasperation. "I'm the Evil Boozer of the Universe. I want EVERYTHING."

* * *

"So, let me get this straight," Bakura shook his head. "You're claiming you've been hired to do away with Ryou and myself?" 

"Well, not Ryou, exactly," Diana corrected. "The main target was you, but it was understood that we'd get a bonus if we hit him, as well."

"Hit men after us," Ryou mumbled, trying to wrap his mind around it all. He suddenly turned to glare at his boyfriend, "Bakura, what did you do now?"

Bakura laughed nervously, putting up his hands as if to ward off a blow. No one wanted to tangle with Ryou when he was in a mood; it was always better to say- "Nothing, Ryou. Nothing!

…Nothing I can recall, anyway," he muttered under his breath. Diana heard him though, and started laughing to herself. Ryou's gaze snapped to her.

"What? You've got something you'd like to share, Ms. Hit man?" He snapped as he rose from the couch he and Bakura had been sharing. "Maybe you'd like to tell us your plans on how you're going to murder us later when our backs are to you? Or maybe you derive some sick pleasure from telling your targets that their life is scheduled to end and then doing the deed! You're screwed up- this whole THING is screwed up! Why am I still here? Oh god, I must be screwed up, too-"

The rest of Ryou's rant was abruptly cut off as Bakura snagged him around the waist and pulled him into his lap, silencing Ryou's protests with his mouth. Instantly, they both forgot about their audience, and smiling, Diana sat back to watch the show, her arm around Rain.

Bakura broke the kiss, "You're incredibly sexy when you're angry, did you know?" He murmured against Ryou's lips.

"Oh shut up, you," Ryou murmured back. They would've continued the kiss if Diana hadn't tactfully cleared her throat at that moment. Bakura and Ryou broke away, the latter turning red.

Bakura was about to say something else when the ground shook beneath their feet and the lights flickered overhead.

"What was th-" Ryou began, but was abruptly cut off as Bakura put a finger over his mouth. Diana started in realization, the movement catching Bakura's eye.

"You know what's happening downstairs, don't you?" Bakura stated rather than asked. Diana nodded guiltily while Rain blink at him, a blank expression on her face not unlike the one she'd had the entire time. Bakura had never really gotten around to asking the two about themselves, personally, after the hit men spiel. "Tell me, Diana."

"It's..." Diana drifted off as the lights flickered again. Bakura rose to tower over her and Rain as they sat on the couch across from him and Ryou. Diana threw up her hands as she gave up.

"I've done all I can," she tried to justify herself; Ryou stood up with those words as well, and Bakura put his arm around him. "I've told you the truth about us coming here to do away with you two…what I neglected to mention was our contractor."

"Now why didn't I ask that before?" Bakura mused and grew quiet as he contemplated the answer. Ryou elbowed him.

"The-leader-of-the-Dragons," Diana said in a rush. It took a moment for Bakura to break up the words into her answer and then, he only had to put two and two together-

"MARIK?" Bakura's voice thundered through the room and the figurines depicting naked girls in various, lewd positions began to shake on one of the shelves. "I'd understand the bartender who I repeatedly stiff for the bill, the people who find that their prized possession has disappeared from under their noses and know that I was the only one around, hell, even the old grannies who get insulted every time I walk by in 'that way of mine'. But MARIK?"

There was a silence. No one wanted to draw Bakura's attention and receive the rest of his fury, no matter how misdirected.

"You're sure?"

Diana nodded.

Bakura began to tremble with contained fury, "Why, that back-stabbing, murderous, two-faced, motherfucking cu-"

"Bakura!" Ryou shouted. The vampire cut himself off, though his expression still read '_I'm imagining you dead at my feet and it will become a reality very, very soon_.'

"Ryou," Bakura growled lowly, "Step away from the door. Marik has tried to kill me, and even worse, you, though his attempts have been very pussy-like. I am very, very pissed right now and the object of my fury is just downstairs. I am now going to proceed to make his nightmares look pansy in comparison. I said: step away from the door."

Ryou's shoulders slumped and he looked at the ceiling. "We're going to be banned from this club too, aren't we?"

As the vampire began to advance, Ryou took a step to the side and opened the door, "Enjoy yourself at least, Love."

"Oh, I will," Bakura hissed. Behind him, Ryou gave him an exasperated look, turning it to Diana and Rain as Bakura stomped down the stairs so hard, the ceiling shook. "Thanks, ladies."

Diana had a horrified expression on her face, "Oh fuck."

Ryou snorted, "'Oh fuck' is right. Let's go see what kind of fun Bakura has in mind, shall we?"

* * *

They heard a shout and saw part of the brick wall jut outward as something smashed into them from the inside. Yami tensed and Yuugi stepped nearer to him, one hand grasping the leather jacket on the vampire's shoulder. 

"What - or who - is that, Yami?" Yuugi asked tentatively.

"'What or who'?" Yami tried to avoid the question, "You're learning, Yuugi."

"Yami," Yuugi warned him. The vampire got the message, and normally, he'd have handled the human's tantrums with no problem but they didn't have time for one right then.

"I assume that we shall find out very, very soon," Yami finally answered, his shoulders tightening in preparation for a fight as something else hit the wall and more bricks jutted out.

Merry gave an exasperated huff and pushed them to the side, stepping forward. "It's always the same. Always! How many times have I broken these fights up? How many cities? I couldn't honestly say, they're all so alike!"

Yuugi was about to comment on her rant, but Yami clamped a hand over his mouth and whispered for him, "_Better to let her get it all out now, while we're alone_."

"This is just ridiculous!" Merry continued, "I've decided. I won't do anything this time. They've all created their own mess; let them fix it. Come on, boys. Let's go get a good seat. This show's about to get interesting."

She began marching down into an alley on one side of the club; Yami and Yuugi had no choice but to follow.

She led them to an emergency ladder that ran up the wall to the roof, and began climbing; her long skirt and fur coat making the climb look almost comical. Merry was climbing to the second floor when she remembered the vampire and his Marked.

"Well?" She was slightly out of breath; a fact justified by the layers of clothes she was wearing. "Why are you still standing there? What are you, royalty? Well, yes, you are, Yami, but that's beside the point. Start climbing!"

Rather than feeling slighted over Merry forgetting his status, Yuugi was surprised to see Yami chuckle to himself and offer to let him climb ahead of himself with a sweep of his hand. Being one who felt uncomfortable feeling any emotion he wasn't expecting, surprise being one of them, Yuugi decided to let it out on Yami.

"You want me to go first, is it?" Yuugi raised an eyebrow; Yami nodded once, a wary expression crossing his face. "Oh, I get it. You just want an uninterrupted view of my ass, and me climbing above you is the perfect opportunity. Yami, I didn't know you were such a pervert."

Yuugi finished with a grin, feeling much better, to see Yami grinning back at him. His smile faltered.

"Ah, and this is your way of getting me to go first," Yami replied. "It's you who wants to see my ass, isn't it?"

When Yuugi didn't respond right away, Yami grinned wide until his fangs were showing. "I knew it."

Yuugi struggled to find a witty response, coming up disappointingly short. Yami strutted past him, brushing his hand along Yuugi's arm. "Lucky for you, love, I don't mind. I enjoy showing off this body. Oh, and one more thing,"

He began climbing up the ladder and his face was lost to the dark. "I don't limit myself to one gender."

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Yuugi called up to him as he began to climb as well.

"It means," Yami grunted as he swung himself over the railing and started the next ladder, "that I enjoy both females and males...Just thought you'd like to know, darling."

* * *

Note: Right. I'm in the process of rewriting the previous chapters, and I've already rewritten the first one, second one, and half of the third one. They're way different than what I've got up now, so I was thinking: would it be easier if I just started up a new story with my rewritten chapters and add to it until I reach the chapters that I want to keep? I also want to change the title of this fic to something a little less cliched. XD Anyway, please give me your opinions, comments, and suggestions in a review. Thanks for reading (And yeah, I know this was one mother of a chapter. Double thanks for sticking it out)!  



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